Ethical dilemmas

When I was leaving work today, feeling pretty vulnerable and close to having a good cry in the car on the way home I was thinking that I hadn't felt this way since I was engaged in clinical nursing and something really bad had happened. I was speaking to a 'mature' staff member who had recently been pushed by management in a meeting to the decision of "what are you going to do?" answering "I'm going to retire" . Today's discussion with me included "I've had enough of this crap, I'm not happy here, life is too short and I'm moving on" Those sentiments are difficult to argue with and as I stated "like lightening striking all around me" in relevance por moi. Somehow I felt guilty for the dysfunctional situation within which we work. But mostly I was saddened that a system which supposedly cares for vulnerable people doesn't care for it's own. I provided what support I could but was left shaken with a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe I'm not as resilient as I used to be, maybe it' s hitting too close to home or maybe I just need to have a good look at where I am in the workplace.

Speaking of ethical dilemmas....One of the social workers today was telling me that in her first ethics class they had been given a case study of a mentally challenged, married couple who were having a child and wanted to keep the baby. She was telling me that the decision was straight forward to the younger members of the class "no way, take the baby it's not fair to it" but the more mature class members were saying "wait a minute, why take a baby out of a loving home, lets put supports in, if they can't read have someone come and read to all of them" She said "lots of things which seem very black and white become more grey as you get older - not just your hair"

Since the man of the house had headed in to camp to check things out and stay overnight I was able to feel sorry for myself with only companion animals watching. I whipped up an apple supreme cheesecake (yum) and am grateful that it has to cool or I'd eat the whole thing. Ate what I wanted for supper while catching up in a phone call on the news with my travel mate of cruise fame. I certainly don't want to be single but her spontaneity is to be envied. She was described by a friend as "a person who always has a good time no matter where she goes" so she was therapeutic for me in my fragile state.

Lest my Eyore posting brings you down...I leave you with a smile a colleague forwarded:



Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of ?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's
who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.