Blog #14

A woman should never be out at night by herself. If she has to she should have 911 on speed dial on her cell phone. She should also take a self defense class. If she lives in the type of neighborhood I do, she might want to have a small hang gun and license to carry it. I am not a big gun person, but if I have to protect myself with it, I will. I go to crime watch meetings in my apartment complex. It always helps to know what is going on in your area. I always try to stay one step ahead of everybody else. If I feel uncomfortable some where I ask my husband to accompany me. Sometimes being with someone else deters criminals. If it is domestic violence assault, them the woman should just leave the house if she feels like would get hurt. If she is with someone who would hurt her, then she needs to get help.

Blog #13

I think it is a sign of strength for a woman to admit she has a problem with drugs and alcohol. A lot of women won’t own up to it. They deny it or put it on someone else. I think that is the first step for them to get help. It takes a lot of courage to seek help. I wouldn’t feel embarrassed, but proud of myself if I ever had a drug or alcohol problem and made the choice to admit it and get help. You know when she is ready to get help when she realizes she has a problem, and tells you about it. She is reaching out. I would help her. Wouldn’t you?

Blog 12

My husband was diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia. The worst of all schizophrenias out there. This disease makes him think and see the world as more out to get him. It took a while for him to start trusting and opening up to me. I held on and fought it out. He is much better now that he’s under the care of a psychiatrist. I learned a lot about this disease when we learned he had it. I did research online and talked with doctors. They told me that this disease usually manifests itself when men are around the age of 21. We got married when he was 22. We found out he had the disease months later. I believe that is why our marriage was so hard at the beginning. I am so glad we know about this. Things are wonderful and we have an ever growing, supportive family.

Blog # 11

I think if everyone lived with our future in mind, there would be no violence. No one would want to hurt another person or take another person’s life. People would make better more positive decisions about healthcare. The world would be full of happier people, because they would have a sense of security. Our children would look toward the future as well and aim for bigger goals in life. The people in my neighborhood wouldn’t be shooting each other over drugs and money. They would be too focused on being healthy, so they wouldn’t take drugs or sell them to others. Overall I feel if everyone lived with our future in mind, the world would be a better place.

Blog # 10

I think if women knew the actually number of women who get diagnosed and die from cancer and CVD, then they would take measures to prevent themselves from getting these diseases. A lot of time it takes someone close to them dying, before a person decides to make changes for the better. I know my children are a big influence for me to stay healthy and active. I don’t want them to grow up without a mother. If women knew the benefits of being cautious about their lifestyle and behavior, they would be more prone to live healthier. Everyone has a different way of being motivated.

Blog # 9

What should a woman do if she has a friend whom she suspects has an eating disorder? What if the friend denies it?

If she feels comfortable enough with that friend she should try and talk to her friend about it. If the friend denies it, then the woman should give her examples and signs of an eating disorder. Maybe then she will realize that she has an eating disorder. If she doesn't then I would just try to deter some of her problematic behavior. If she trusts you as a good friend, then she would listen. If she doesn't then, I would try to tell a family member of hers that she listens to. If that doesn't work then I would try an intervention. I value my friends and I would never want to see them hurt or hurting themselves. I never had to deal with a friend who had an eating disorder. That is what I would do if I had to. If she decides then, she doesn't want to be my friend, then maybe we weren't such good friends from the start.

Blog #8

Well first of all let me say, Education is key. We have to make menopause, aging, and older women look good. I see a lot of negative images associated with these things. People have to understand that these three things are a part of life. You may not want to go through it or deal with it, but you have no choice. Once you go through it, you will be glad you did and got it over with. Aging and older women go hand in hand. How do you think we have older women, through aging. if television portrayed these things as a positive part of life, without all the negative commercials, then people would welcome these changes. Some women view menopause as a right of passage, just as menarche. We can let everyone know about the benefits these changes can have on one's life. My mother is 51 years old and she has not had menopause yet. She doesn't even look 51. She is as healthy as a 20 year old and says she feels like one too. there is nothing wrong with menopause, aging or older women. They are all beneficial. Whether the public likes it or not they are here to stay.

Blog #7

Many people equate STDs with immorality, promiscuous behavior, and low social status. This statement to me means that there are a lot of people who are not knowledgeable of the pathophysiology of disease. Just because you catch an STD doesn't mean your promiscuous. Some people don't know they have an STD and pass it on to others. Some people don't even know what an STD is. I do believe people can be more careful about their partners. Let's face it, no one has money to send everyone they are bedding down with to the clinic to be tested. That's why we need free testing for STDs. People can help by asking their partner about their sexualk history. This would help. We can't change the way people see others. All we can do is educate them. Overtime opinions will change. Education is key.

Blog #6

I have 9 sisters. I didn’t really have a formal interview with them; it was more of a casual conversation. I recently gave birth to my second daughter and of course it was brought up when they would have kids. All of my sisters aren’t grown up yet. Three of them are still in school. They already say they don’t want to have kids. I know they will change their minds as they grow. My oldest sister has three kids already and she has gotten her tubes tied. She says she doesn’t want anymore. My second oldest sister doesn’t know what she wants to do period. Then there is me. I have two. I don’t want any more right now. I would like to have a little boy, and then I’m through. The one under me says she doesn’t want any. She goes to college to complete her degree in criminal justice. The one under her is currently pregnant. She is still unsure about having kids though. The one under her wants kids after she is married. She already has their names picked out. Then the one under her just started college and is not thinking about guys right now, let alone kids. These are all different women, even though they are my sisters. We grew up in an anti-abortion household. So if you got pregnant, whether it was accidentally or on purpose, you keep that child. I still don’t believe in abortion. I feel if god blesses me to get pregnant with a child then I should keep that blessing. I love kids. My mother had 17 and I am the fifth oldest. They all go on my nerves growing up, but I still wanted and have children. How do you feel about kids?

Blog # 5

Dear Classmates,

I came across a very popular urban legend that a lot of young males and females still believe today. They say, "A girl can't get pregnant if it is her first time." This is so not true. A lot of older guys would tell a younger more naive person that in order for them not to use protection when having intercourse. The fact is, as long as a female has experienced menarche, she can get pregnant. She might not get pregnant that time, but her body is able to conceive. Menarche is a females first menstrual cycle. I don't how someone could believe this at this day and age, but there are some people out there who still do. I couldn't believe my little sister told me she would have believed it, if I wouldn't have told her otherwise. I first heard this when I was in middle school, and when I asked my mom about it she said that it is not true. I was surprised and confused. Back then I didn't even know what a cycle was, let alone how babies are formed. It was all news to me then, but its elementary to me now. I knew a girl in high school that got pregnant her fist time. I think young women are targeted by this myth because sometimes you encounter one of those guys that does not want to wear a condom. He will find anything to tell you to get you to let him have his way. Trust me, don't. If you have experienced your first menstrual cycle, you can get pregnant having sex for the first time. If you are unsure, ask your healthcare provider, they are always a good source for health information.

Thank you,

Sharon Hollins

P.S. Those cute little girls on the picture are my toddler and my new baby.

Blog #4

I think sex education should be taught in our nation's public schools. It should focus on safe sex practices as well as abstinence. Who are we kidding? If teens and kids want to have sex, they will. At best all we can do is arm them with the necessary tools to make the right decisions about it. I don't believe in sex before marriage and not a lot of people agree with that. They are more than likely going to go with the majority on that issue. Casual sex is what people are calling it nowadays. Even with this being so, we should still teach about abstinence, as well as condom use, and other methods of birth control. I think we should also educate parents on how to talk to their kids about sex. Sex education should include everyone in the community, especially since it has consequences that could effect it. This way kids will feel more responsible about themselves and others. We should also educate kids on the long term effects of sex and help them build self-esteem. They should know, virginity is a beautiful thing and nothing to be ashamed of. If they value themselves more, then the less likely they are to be promiscuous. I think we should teach children everything about sex, except how to get someone to participate with them.

Blog #3

I answered yes to 4 out of the 10 questions in the self assessment. The last three. I really need to step up my preventive practices. Eventhough I am not considered to be unhealthy, I am not overall healthy. I can start to improve my health by eating more fruits and vegetables, cutting out junk food from my diet and exercising more. I can also practice meditation to help relieve stress and go for walks when I feel angry or upset. I can make time to give myself a relaxing hour or two. I can go spend a day at a spa once or twice a month to help me get the stress out of my body. I feel mentally healthy when I do school work and get good grades for it. I am married, so condom use for me is not important, unless I don't want anymore kids. I am a nonviolent person, and I look for constructive ways to deal with my anger. I like to ride bikes and love to go swimming. I plan on teaching my daughters when they are old enough. These are some of the preventive practices I already use. There are a lot more I can emplore. I will become more active once my daughter is born.

Blog #2

I honestly believe that access to health care is a right. If people could treat themselves at home for problems they have with their bodies, then I am pretty sure they would. What would be the point in going to school and learning all the theories and practices in health care? Can a person give them self a blood transfusion? Would they even know if they needed one? I don't think so. Besides if society felt like health care access was a privilege, then there wouldn't be to much advocacy out there for equal treatment in health care. There wouldn't be state and federal programs for low income families and minorities who can't afford health care. Basically, it would just be for the people who can afford it. Trust me with the price of just getting blood drawn, who could afford it. If it was a privilege a lot of people would be out of jobs, due to lack of Americans being unable to afford the cost. Therefore access to health care is a right not a privilege.

Blog #1

I am concerned with women's health in the military and within the VA system. I am concerned with these two issues because I used to be in the military and now I am under the care of the VA system. They just implemented a program geared more towards women's health. This program to me still needs improvement. Most of the doctors within the VA and military healthcare systems are not sensitive to or don't know much about women's health. When I got out the military, I was five months pregnant. I couldn't go to the VA hospital because they didn't have competent Ob/Gyns. These two systems are what really concern me about healthcare.

I interviewed a 42 year old Latino mother of 3. Her name is Betty. She expressed to me her concerns for healthcare were nursing home abuse and neglect. She told me she hears about it everyday, and she is terrified of ever having to be in one.

I interviewed a 22 yr. old college student, named Jessica. Jessica expressed concerns about the overall healthcare system in America. She isn't pleased at all with the way things are ran. She wants free healthcare for everyone, just like they have in Canada. She also expressed her disappointment with medicare. She hates that a person on medicare has to pay at least 1000 dollars up front before they can be treated. Jessica is caucasian.

I think even though we all have different concerns, we all really care about healthcare beyond ourselves. I think everyone's concerns are different, but we all care about each issue, because in one way or another they affect us.