My School is Gone!

Trauma Columnist · Aug 31, 2005

Please take care of yourself - that will give you the strength to carry on.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 31, 2005

I am so sorry for your situation. I am sure they will make the adequate arrangements for you to graduate. Good luck. :)

Southern_Male_Nurse · Aug 31, 2005

I don't want to make something sound negative in light of what has happen. Being from the lower Alabama (30 minutes from the coast and all), I wish my best to all of the areas destroyed. I however do have a couple of questions:

Glascow: You stated, "really looking forward to seeing all the dead bodies floating in the water". That is a really awful thing to say. I have worked in virology as a team medic on a viral threat repsonse team, and have seen alot of dead bodies. That is something noone wants (noone in the right frame of mind) to see. I hope I misunderstood you. If not, then I would be more worried about upstairs than your missing school.

To other countries: With all politics aside, I have to say this. A Canadian once wrote (after 911, when fellow Canadians started saying we deserved what happen), that the US is one of the very first countries to send help to ANY country that needs it in time of crisis (whether it be natural disaster, or what). We spend billions, and send thousands of experts, rescue teams, and so forth trying to fix up countries that were devestated by such occurrences. My question is, where are any of those countries now? I have not heard one word about other countries sending help in any form of relief. If I am wrong, please let me know. I want to think that there are other people out there that are more caring (to help others, not only in their own country). if you are sending help (as individuals), please disregard this, if you can.

I am sure I will be basted for this. But right now, I don't care. The way I see it, with all political bs aside. My neighbor needed help. They have no water, food, or shelter. I go help them. Try to comfort them as best as possible. My neighbor eventually recovers. One day, I lose everything, where is thy neighbor to help me? On vacation of course. Politics should never have play when it comes to such horrific scenes, but unfortunately it does. And all too often. I am tired of it. The way I see it (and probably alot of other people feel the same way). And this may seem selfish, but I really don't care right now. People are dead. Good people. Bad people. It doesn't matter what you believe in. Fellow human beings are currently in need of help - really bad. The way things are going in this world, unfortunately a mentallty of : If you want help from "me" (my country) in time of need, then be prepared to help me (my country) in the same. Period.

Like I said, some of you will be offended, but I don't care. There are more important things in this world, than politics. And if you really love nursing, then politics has no play in our field. And having the desire to see dead bodies float in the water, then you have no business being in the field of nursing.

Trauma Columnist · Aug 31, 2005

From Southern Male Nurse: "Glascow: You stated, "really looking forward to seeing all the dead bodies floating in the water". That is a really awful thing to say. I have worked in virology as a team medic on a viral threat repsonse team, and have seen alot of dead bodies. That is something noone wants (noone in the right frame of mind) to see. I hope I misunderstood you. If not, then I would be more worried about upstairs than your missing school."

I think we need to give the original poster some leeway here. The way I read it was that she was upset that she would see the dead bodies, not that she LIKED it. Sometimes (I know at least for me) in emotionally charged situations ideas don't always come across the way you mean them on the computer.

brwnngj · Aug 31, 2005

I think we need to give the original poster some leeway here. The way I read it was that she was upset that she would see the dead bodies, not that she LIKED it. Sometimes (I know at least for me) in emotionally charged situations ideas don't always come across the way you mean them on the computer.

I totally agree and read it the same way. I read it as sarcasm. This posters world was just torn up side down give her some slack.

I am sure that she is an emotional wreck, she does not know how her friends faired, she has lost her school (Which is her future) and yes maybe losing the school is trivial compared to all that is going on but none the less it upsets her and she needs to talk about it.

Glascow, you are in my thoughts and prayers and you work through this tragedy, You friends and faily andeveryone else affected by this horrible thing are as well

(((Hugs)))

sunnyjohn · Aug 31, 2005

I was supposed to start the semester yesterday. I was supposed to graduate in May with my FNP. My school is in New Orleans. I have no school to go back to. I know most schools will only accept 12 hr graduate transfer hours. I have only 10hrs left to graduate from the program I was in.
I wonder what will happen now?

I've heard from friends at the med school at Tulane and LSU in NO. They say there is a plan for some student in certain programs at Tulane to take classes at Jackson State University in Mississippi to count toward a Tulane degree. They are saying that they have all been told that things will be held up for the semester.

Glascow, please be safe.

Southern_Male_Nurse · Aug 31, 2005

Just a quick update and helper for Glascow. You can go to NOLA.com (on their forum boards) you can place your questions in regards to your friends if they are okay or not. I hope they are. I really do. My heart goes out to all of those in the entire area. I myself, will be heading down there from Maryland (I was spending time with my kids), to go help out (my family and friends near Mobile). Please check the website, and I hope someone can answer your concerns about your friends (and hopefully about your school).

grannynurse FNP student · Aug 31, 2005

Her world? Hell, my parents did lose their house, their animals, my brother and my sister and their respective families lost their houses. Millions of peoples' world was turned upside down (directly and indirectly). Mine included. But hey, I am suppose to give slack to a person that lives 135 miles away from the scene. I know I seem harsh, but unfortunately, there are alot worse things in this world, than her school being gone. I am sorry that it happen, but at least I can say (with pride), even though my family has lost ALOT, at least they are alive. Some people face simple uphill problems like they were a ton of bricks, while others face mountains of problems with little effort. Each person is different, I respect that. But I am sorry (not), if you are offended (as per my previous posts), but right now people that have been directly affected have more on their minds (i.e., water, food, shelter, how are they going to survive the next day - if not that day), than if they are going to be able to transfer credits. Life is hard - deal with it - because it is sure isn't going to get any easier. Nursing is a great place to learn this fact of life.
I am sorry, she can't go back to school right now, but if she looks on the bright side (which to be honest, she has alot to be Thankful for), she has a BS degree, she can still go get a decent paying job (if she doesn't already) with that alone. Is it a shame she can't transfer some credits? Is it a shame she probably won't graduate this fall or upcoming spring? Is it a shame she will have to look for another school? Is it a shame she lost alot of money going to that school, just to see it flushed down the leevy? Yes it is. It all is. But as in triage, you have to have priorities. She wants to help - that is fantasic. All nurses should have a craving to want to go help. Contact Red Cross ASAP! That should be her first priority. They will gladly use each and every one of us. School will start again. The government will probably make arrangmenets for those that did go to school. Food for thought: Schools (like businesses) make backups of their records on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Most keep them a distance away from their facility. Just in case something happens. Maybe her school did the same thing.
I know, you all probably think I am still too harsh - and I am. I do feel for her slight hiccup in life. But that is what it is, a hiccup ( a speed bump, a small hill, a fork in the road) . Nothing less, nothing more. The people that lost love ones, is a problem. Those are the ones my heart goes out to. My family will recover. Yes, it will take a lot of time. It will involved alot of pain and struggle, but they will have help along the way. What about the man (the one on tv all of the time) who lost his wife. His life is gone (as the pain in his face shows). How can I compare his loss to a person that can't transfer school credits? How can you?
Am I harsh? Cruel? Unforgiven? Maybe because I have seen death floating in rivers (in Africa) once too many times. But I also seen it on a peds ward, nursing homes, watched patients die while interns stood aound waiting for their Chief to show up, even watch my fellow cancer survivors die, while I lived. Death is not pleasant. Anyone that states so, is one that I do not wish to be around. I know I am suppose to cut her slack for she might have made simple typing mistake in her post (we all do), and if you reread my original post, you will see that I do cut her slack (in hopes that it was a mistake). But if it wasn't.....

Everyone reacts differently to tragedies, hardships and disasters. Some focus on what might be viewed as trivial, by some but is a major concern to that individual. It is not my place to denigrate anyone else's experiences or feelings but to share what happen when I went thru Charlie. Some would view my focus, on my grandchildren, as noble. Others might not. Others would have thought I should have focused more on my own health, to avoid a six day hospitalization, in another county, following his impact. People, in Charlotte County, reacted differently, immediately and for months afterwards. Focus needs to be on support, now, next month, six months, next year.

Grannynurse :balloons:

CardioTrans, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2005

I have found out in the last day that one of our classmates has not been heard from since Sun. She lives in New Orleans. She and 3 more of us was in a group for a paper this semester. When it hit us that "Hey she lives in NO" we all were speechless. We have all tried to contact her, hoping that we might hear from her, the instructor, as well as the university has tried. No answer so far. I also have a good friend who lives in Metarie. No word from her since Sat. Please all pray.

As far as help from other countries......... I was listening to tv this am and one of the Senators from Alabama made the comment that no other country has offered help as of 7am today. I pray that this changes or has changed.

rn/writer, RN · Aug 31, 2005

There is enough compassion for everyone, regardless of their level of loss. Glasgow mentioned, not only her schooling, but her concern for classmates who had become like family. She also downplayed her own concerns in comparison to people facing survival issues. Nursing school is so demanding that it takes on more importance than just education. It becomes your life. It places great burdens on you but it also serves as an anchor. If this is suddenly lifted, you can find yourself disoriented and at loose ends. Glasgow is to be commended for looking for ways to be useful in this crisis.

And I don't condemn her in the least for expressing concern about her schooling. If she can't come here, where can she go. Someone who loses a foot shouldn't be shamed for feeling upset because someone else lost a leg. Loss is loss. I'm reminded of people after 911 who were in shock and focused on things like a lost purse because the rest was more than they could deal with.

I took Glasgow's comment about looking forward to seeing dead bodies floating by as sarcasm which doesn't travel well online. Rank insensitivity did not square with the rest of her posts.

Southern Male Nurse, I am so sorry for the staggering loss you and your extended family have faced and will continue to deal with for the foreseeable future. I cannot imagine having my whole world scrambled to the degree that even the normal rescuing agencies are themselves overtaxed and disabled. I am going to give blood, send money, pray, and do anything else I can think of to stand with my brothers and sisters in the ravaged areas.

I totally agree with your comments about the rest of the world. It will be interesting to see if the support and resources we have dependably delivered over many decades will be returned, even in small part. I understand that many countries do not have the financial means to give much. To me, it is more about the show of solidarity. I would like to see experts from the Netherlands, who live, in large part, below sea level, offer their skill and knowledge to our people. I would like to see anyone from anywhere show any kind of caring and humanity toward us in our time of need.

I will keep you in my prayers,

Miranda

elthia · Aug 31, 2005

I think the OP posted the original post for support. One of the first rules of therapeutic communication ( as taught to me in nursing school) was to have a NONJUDGEMENTAL ATTITUDE.

Yes, millions of people have been affected, within an unknown count of those who have actually died. Thousands have lost their homes. However, the original thread is "My school is gone!" in the graduate student nurse forum, in my eyes that turns this thread into a PERSONAL look at the OP's situation. The OP was not on a thread that was titled "THE WRATH OF KATRINA, THOUSANDS BEING EVACUATED, HOMES GONE" in the current news forum and then posting about his/her situation.

I stated before in this thread that sometimes focussing on what could be deemed insignificant can be a coping mechanism to an emotional shock. The OP may have lost friends s/he has had for years. Keep an open mind, and please don't be judgemental.

nursemomruns · Aug 31, 2005

Someone who loses a foot shouldn't be shamed for feeling upset because someone else lost a leg. Loss is loss. I'm reminded of people after 911 who were in shock and focused on things like a lost purse because the rest was more than they could deal with.

Miranda, You are right on the money. That was exactly my take on her posting: That was what she could handle focusing on at that moment. She turned to people, here, that could maybe offer some advice or encouragement for that particular problem. The OP also stated there were other situations she was having to deal with right now, but didn't list them. Who knows what her other losses are now or in the past?

Male Nurse has suffered an awful tragedy. I am sure he needs some slack regarding his responses, too. I don't see how anyone involved with the devastation could be functioning optimally right now.

I am heartbroken for all of our fellow humans that have suffered effects of this storm.