Week 9

I felt that this week, probably more than any other, helped to prepare me for a career in nursing. To really see the struggles of the elderly- from declining health, to losing loved ones and independence, to Alzheimer's and everything that it robs families of, to agism and how we view and the prejudices against the elderly, really opened my eyes. The film on Alzheimer's was especially moving, and made me hope that advances in medicine and technology are able to find a cure for it before I get to be elderly. The agony that those people endure, when your family member doesn't recognize you any more, is just heartbreaking. It almost seems worse than just losing your loved one- watching them suffer like that. I really have a soft spot for older people, and I'm excited to get my CNA and hopefully find employment in this field. Hard work for sure, but really important also.

Week 8

This week was hard for me. Reading and thinking about middle aged people and the changes that accompany them made me reflect so much on my parents. As midlife is this phase where you finally get to enjoy all that you have worked so hard for, I get sad thinking of everything they won't get to experience. My mom was only 36, and it's hitting me now how young that really is. I won't get to experience becoming friends with them now that I am grown. They won't meet  or know their grandchildren, and I won't be able to care for them as they get older. At the same time, it makes me look forward to having my own family and being able to not only survive what I've been through, but to find success within that context. I particularly enjoyed the article "Is there love after baby?" because having a baby is such a game changer for a relationship, and I'm unsure of how I would navigate this in my relationship. Its clear that having a baby will not, at least right away, bring you closer together.