Well this week wasn’t as eventful as the last two. I can honestly say I was bummed that we did not have a stimulation paper to write. Like a said in my last blog, I really enjoyed doing those projects. However I am concerned about this module 1 coming up. I’m concerned because I haven’t done one yet and I don’t know what to expect so naturally I’m stressing about it. I’m sure it will be fine when I do it, but until that time I will continue to have that little stress monster in the back of my head reminding me of it. I am also looking forward to finishing the book, The Naked Truth, it is really interesting.
As far as my time management is concerned I am honestly failing at it. I still get my stuff done in a timely fashion, however I feel things are still too chaotic and they need to be put in order. Any ideas or helpful hints anybody; I will be very thankful for the help! Both of my jobs are going good and I continue to get more hours, which is always a good thing. However if I get too many hours I may have to cut back on them so that I have the proper amount of time for my classes. After all my classes are on the top of my priority list. Side note: my Did You Know section branches off from my last blog. The topic is mother –to – child transmission of HIV.
Did You Know?
Each year roughly 40,000 children are infected with HIV that they transmitted from their mother; this is due to “poor prevention of mother-to- child transmission” ("Hiv and aids," 2011). According to the HIV and AIDS in South Africa article, “AIDS is one of the main contributors to South Africa’s infant mortality rate,” ; in 1990 the mortality rate was “44 deaths per 1000 infants” ("Hiv and aids," 2011). Since then it has increased. In 2008 it went up to “48 deaths per 1000 infants” ("Hiv and aids," 2011). Given the difference in years, it doesn’t seem like a lot to me, but at the same time it has increased. Will it continue to increase in the years to come? Or will it decrease? Something I find interesting, according to the National Antenatal Survey, close to 30% of pregnant woman in South Africa tested positive for HIV in 2009 ("Hiv and aids," 2011). There is hope! The World Health Organization as known as the WHO has a plan to set into action. They call it the “cover-the-tail” strategy; in this strategy antiretroviral drugs AZT and 3 TC will be administered to mothers giving birth as well as afterwards ("Hiv and aids," 2011). The goal of this is to decrease the risk of HIV transmission from the mother to the infant ("Hiv and aids," 2011).
This scares me, I can’t deny it. These babies are at risk and they are not even born yet. I do find hope in all of this. There are organizations like the WHO, who are trying to help these mothers and their infants. I hope what I say is not taken the wrong way. I am learning about these issues as I go along and I always welcome information that I may have over looked.
Set up a specific time to work on each class. Perhaps Monday evening for one, Tuesday evening for another, etc. If you work in the evenings then look at the daytime hours available to you. Try to get ahead in this class. It will take the pressure off.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised to hear they are using AZT and 3TC, because it was suppose to be Nelfinivir, one dose to the mother during delivery and one to the child after. This would make it more cost effective for the patients. The best thing would be to put the mothers on antiretroviral therapy and reduce their viral loads. The lower the load, the lower the risk of transmission to the baby.
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