Thursday, October 15, 2009

Mom In Limbo, Women In Space.

I took Mom to her neurologist last Monday. Her hands have gotten a lot worse since we were last their two years ago. Surgery on her right hand was recommended by Dr. Zorba (our nickname for him because he looks like the doctor from the old Ben Casey series on TV). Mom really doesn't want to have the surgery because she is worried about the rehab and whether or not she will be able to grab her walker and walk. I think if it improves her lifestyle she should have it and between sister, myself, the caregiver, and if necessary additional health we all can survive the rehab period. The next step is to meet with the surgeon on the 28th of October. The deal is that the same neurologist suggested that mom have the surgery two years ago, the surgery was scheduled, and then Mom canceled it. I can't help but wonder if Mom had went through the surgery then if her hands wouldn't be better now. I would lover your input in how to handle Mom. Should I encourage her to have the surgery? Should I back off and let her make her own decision? I would also appreciate your prayers, good thoughts, good vibes, and anything you can muster up to send my direction!

On to an interesting news article. Had a secret program not been canceled women might have been the first Americans to be in Space. Maybe that would have led to a woman being the first American to take a step on the moon. Here is a link to an article about the subject.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2009-10-14-astronauts-women_N.htm

A more in depth article written by Brandon Keim can be found here:

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/10/mercury-13/

The question for the day. How do you think history would have changed had the secret program not been canceled and instead of Neil Armstrong being the first person to walk on the moon it had been a woman? Would that have led to more equality for women not only in aeronautics but in other industries and occupations?

TODAY'S TRIVIA;

Yesterday's answer: Margaret Brent

Born in 1802 I was an abolitionist, women's rights activist, opponent of American expansionism, Indian rights activist, novelist, and journalist. My writings in journals and about anti-slavery fiction reached wide audiences from the 1830s through the 1850s. I shocked my audiences by taking on issues of male dominance and white supremacy. Despite my efforts I am most remembered for a Thanksgiving poem. I was born in Medford. I received my education at a local dame school and later at a women’s seminary. When Mom died I went to live with my older sister where I studied to be a teacher. I married a lawyer whose political activism and involvement in reform introduced me to the social reforms of Indian rights and Garrisonian Abolitionism. I was a women's rights activist that did not believe significant progress for women could be made until after the abolition of slavery. I believed that white women and slaves were similar in that white men held both groups in subjugation and treated them as property instead of human beings. However, I did not care for all-female societies. I believed that women would be able to achieve more by working alongside men. I am sometimes said to have been the first white person to have written a book in support the freeing of slaves. I was elected to the executive committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society, and became editor of the society's National Anti-Slavery Standard. I left the paper I because I refused to promote violence as an acceptable weapon for battling slavery. Later after the beating of a good friend I changed my mind about the use of violence to protect the antislavery emigrants in Kansas. I sympathized with the radical abolitionist John Brown but did not condone his zealous violence, I deeply admired his courage and conviction. My first novel was about an interracial relationship between a white woman and a Native American man, who was the father of her son. They divorced and the heroine remarried, reintegrating her and her child into Puritan society. This issue of miscegenation, or mixed relationships, was a theme I used in later anti-slavery fiction. During the 1860s I wrote pamphlets on Indian rights. I died at age 78. Who Am I?

8 comments:

Pat said...

That's really interesting about the possible women astronauts back then. It would certainly have changed history had they been accepted, but I don't think it would have changed much else. Perhaps women would have been accepted in the military as pilots sooner. It might have advanced women's equality somewhat. I guess we'll never know that.

It probably would have been a basis for a lot of argument at the time, as men got on their high horses and objected.

In other news, I'm so sorry about your mom's hands. I can see her point in worrying about rehab and how that would affect her mobility. I can also see how it might be a real improvement in her life if it works out for her. What is the doc's prediction about how much improvement can be expected and about the length of rehab? What should you do? I don't know any better than you do. If it were my mom, back when, I'd end up backing off because once she had decided something, there was no convincing her otherwise.

William J. said...

Hi Pat

Because a higher percentage of women passed the tests than men did I'm not so sure men would have had a logical basis to object. Of course that never stopped men before.

I wonder if Women had been the first astronauts, if there would have been a smaller conservative movement. The one where the woman stays home and the man works.

As to Mom I am really kind of it being here decision. The surgery will give her more movement in her hand and less pain. The rehab would be three weeks to a month.

Bill

Pat said...

If they are pretty sure that the surgery will work, and that the rehab will only be around a month, I think I'd push her a little bit to have it. Of course then you run the risk of it being "your fault" if anything isn't as advertised. So probably letting her make the decision is the way to go. It's really hard, I know. I hope it all works out well for both of you.

William J. said...

Hi Pat

You hit the nail on the head as to why I am leaning towards it being her decision, to many times things I have suggested have been "my fault" and even if she choses it still may be my fault!

Bill

Lady DR said...

Bill, I'm so sorry to hear the report on your Mom's hands. Like Pat, I really don't what to say. Like you, I've recommended and then things have been "my fault" if things didn't come out perfectly. I can understand her concerns, but if the doc things the prognosis is really good... it's very hard. And doesn't she also have an app't to see someone about hip replacement, or am I totally confused? If she's looking at that possibility, in addition, she may well be very leary of all that's happening. Like you, if it will improve her quality of life, I'd encourage it, but I'm sure she's like all of us -- give me a guarantee. No one's going to do that. It sounds like about all you can do is encourage her to think about it and see what the surgeon says on the 28th. In the end, it has to be her decision. Just like Mom - we scheduled the knee replacement, then she cancelled it. Now, she's wishing she'd had it and is considering checking on getting it done in AZ.

The news article -- interesting, but not surprising. The points about weight and less oxygen use are logical. The issue of menstrual cycles is one that's been brought up every time someone wants a good excuse for not letting women do something that's considered a man's job.

I have no idea how history might have been changed, but find it telling that the project was kept secret, particularly since the women scored higher in all areas but the test flight time, which was unavailable to them then. Would it have opened more doors, earlier, for women to pursue careers that were generally closed at the time? One could hope, but we'll never know. Your "who am I?" profiles has shown that women have tremendous determination and ability, which often went unrecognized and ignored -- okay, is still unrecognized and ignored. Logic seems to have little to do with decisions of this nature.

Sending lots of prayers and good thoughts your direction for your mom's health and upcoming decisions. If it's going to be her decision, be sure that's very clear, so you don't end up the Bad Guy either way (easy to say, hard to do).

William J. said...

Hi DR

Yes the hip replacement guy is the 28th and may be the surgeon for the hand too.

With mom there never is a guarantee, she got an eye infection when she had eye surgery that they said there was one in a five thousand chance that she would get. Never a guarantee with mom.

It is telling that the project was kept secret, what really good reason did they have to keep it secret?

One of the things that the Who Am I's has taught me is the struggles women had to succeed under the worse of conditions and still succeeded.

Thanks for the prayers and good thoughts!

Bill

cd0103 said...

I guess the bottom line question is... how bad is your mom's quality of life going to be if she doesn't have the surgery AND can she make it through the process without lowering that quality. Tough decision.

William J. said...

Hi Connie

I think there is little risk with the hand surgery but a ton of risk with the hip replacement. I hope she has the hand done but not so sure about the hip.

Bill