Blog 4 - Going to the Doctor When Female

I have always noticed that when I visit doctors I go into 'pleasing person' mode.  Meaning, I often smile and laugh- act as if all is fine.  So, in many ways, perhaps I cannot blame the doctors for their misdiagnosis.  I also know that brain tumors are often not diagnosed for long periods of time.  Especially slow growing ones.

However, I also know that the symptoms that I presented with were not consistent with a mental illness.  Losing my balance, buzzing in my ears, loss of memory in my early fifites- not mental illness.  And even if it had been, there were no tests set up by my primary doctor to see if there was any physical causes for my problems.

Only the Redi-Med doctor set up an MRI, and she didn't take the time to read it- or perhaps she sent it to my primary.  I don't know what happened at that time.  Because I was soon sent to a heart doc who said he thought I 'might' have had a mini-stroke. 

I often wonder what my life would have been like if this great big tumor had been removed 7 years ago.

Today, my memory is as sharp as it was prior to this 7 year timeline, I am healthy as any woman can be at 57, and my vision is good.  There was a lot of concern at the time of diagnosis if I would have any vision problems after the surgery because of the location of the tumor.  For the first year or so I did have blurring which has receded over time.  I still have partial onset seizures when under extreme stress- and am on seizure meds for that.  On the whole, I am not doing too bad.  And, for that, I am glad.

Nothing to be "Out" About - Blog 3

When I was reading the essays on sexuality for this particular part of the course, I almost felt as though I had been lifted up and taken back in time - to a place where I was the only person who felt the way I did, the only person who saw the world the way I did- and then I read a book and my whole world changed.

Reading the " Woman's Room" by Marilyn French in the seventies was enlightening but this class is clarifying for me how far women have come.  I was almost afraid to write my response, but then I began and the words flew from fingers to keys- liberation, flight, at last.

Then I read the response to my response and was thrilled that the other women were not reviled but supportive and in many cases of like mind.  Is this because it is a woman's studies class or because of the times we live in- or the general age of the generation in the class.  I am not certain.  All I do know is that it was like a jump in a wonderful cool lake on a hot Sunday- and I loved it!

Gender Ranking

I enjoy arguing ( debating? ) with my son about gender roles because he always tries to back up his assertions with some sort of foundation.  The fact that I normally do not agree  with his foundation or examples makes very little difference.

As a single mother, it has been a source of amazement to me that my son seems to be so positive about roles.  He is often in disbelief that women of his generation ( he is 33) don't want to just stay home, take care of babies and circle around the man in their lives.   How could he think that after having a mother like me?

I think his years in the service ( 13) might have something to do with it. But, unlike some, I often really do wonder if the way men think is the nature of the beast ( biological, not ingrained by culture).

Service Unavailable

Did I miss an announcement of some sort with Blackboard.  Been trying to get there all Sunday morning to submit my Reading Response 3 and am continuing to get Service Unavailable messages?

Help Wanted- Female

I am enjoying this women's studies class because I am able to see how much has changed in my lifetime and how much there is still left to do!

In my last reading response I commented upon the practice in the seventies and before to divide the job classified ads into Help Wanted Male and Help Wanted Female

.  I told about a conversation I had with my daughter relating this fact and her astonishment at the practice.
Then one of my classmates read my paper, and said she couldn't believe it either.

What I think is telling about this practice, for me personally, was that I didn't really think anything of it.  This was just the way things were done, so we accepted it, just like a good girl! ;-)

Is the Second Wave and the Third Wave Generational? _ Like Everything Else?

I found it illuminating to read the responses of my fellow classmates in my Women's Studies course, who are ( on the whole) of the so-called Third Wave.

As is generally the case when discussing 'how things were' those members of a younger generation are always simply amazed by all that we, who went before them, went through.  Their lack of historical perspective is never a surprise to me.  In any arena!But, I am always uplifted by their open attitude to finding out about the world as it used to be.

One of my younger classmates stated that she was sickened by the horrible sexist and racist comments that were made during the last election by her male relatives.  Unfortunately, in many cases, things have just not changed.

Ignorance is a stubborn thing.