There are over 90 Evelyn Maxwells on Google Search so I added my maiden name to help people in their searches.  Also for those of you who like video, you may go to www.youtube.com/user/emmax41 to see my amateurish uploads on current concerns in whole health…meaning anything that affects us in either a positive or negative way either individually or as a community, society, or world.

Here is my addition to the bio at Amazon Books.

Evelyn Westhoff Maxwell, M.N., B.S.N., R.N.

When I graduated from nursing with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1955 there was nothing available for patients to help themselves. Knowledge seemed to be locked inside the professional ranks. And, for mental health there was little available even there! To survive nursing school, I had nearly cut all the brain circuits from the emotional centers leading to consciousness.  I didn’t know how I felt about things.  I thought about things. Feelings were submerged somewhere and had no way of relieving themselves whether they were uncomfortable or joyous. Except in song, religious song, solos especially…there I could express my Self. And so it was for many years.

Four children were born, I handled them as I had been taught in the hospital nursery and kept the house floor spotless as long as they were crawling or playing there.

During this time, my husband and I finished our educations in nursing and medicine, obtained our licenses to practice, moved to serve a one year medical internship while I worked first as private duty and then an operating room (OR) nurse while our son was mothered by a lady across the street. Then we moved to an Indian reservation for his three years of Public Health Service in lieu of military service where I worked as a church and community volunteer. We applied for mission work and were told we needed a specialty, moved and served a three year residency in obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) where I was alone many nights and weekends with three children while working 2 ½ years in OR again, never feeling rested. We applied again for missions and was told they needed generalists. Moved again to establish an OB-GYN practice and pass Boards. Fourth child born while becoming a stay at home mom and church volunteer. Applied again to missions and the Methodists accepted us. Uprooted again for six months orientation including six weeks of language study where I never could “roll my r’s” as was needed for our specified language. Another move to the next program, spouses were separated and assigned to different groups, while children spent the days either in nursery or at school. Evenings were mostly for eating and studying although here the children had a separate room for sleeping so our study lights did not disturb them. Our marital communications were wordless in bed plus necessary information regarding the children during the day–except for one day when we took off on a local car trip to see the scenery. Lovely. Relaxing.

Our lecturers were outstanding. The participants were all better than I and some seemed competitive.

My group was different. Each was different. But after an event that shocked everyone…

You will have to continue reading as I cannot go on now.

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I am not sure if I should continue in this blog, There is further information in At Eden’s Gate: Whole Health and Well-Being.  More specifically in the e-book than the original edition.       Let me know your thoughts.  Thanks for reading.