River Garman
Bio
Independant journalist, Activist, Human
Stories (9)
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The Growing Necessity of Nursing Degrees
In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, the importance of a well-trained and compassionate nursing workforce has never been more critical. As our global population ages, chronic illnesses rise, and healthcare systems grow more complex, the demand for skilled nurses has reached a crucial tipping point. Currently, the nursing profession is grappling with a severe staffing shortage that is placing immense strain on healthcare systems, ultimately affecting the quality of patient care. This is likely due to the growing concern of the inability to care for patients effectively while under the control of insurance companies and corporate entities that have gravitated from a patient-focused healing approach to a profit-over-people model.
By River Garmanabout a month ago in Education
Is July 4th Truly a “Freedom Rings” Holiday in 2023?
As I sit in a local coffee shop on July 4th, in a strange but familiar city after having just fled the state of Florida to escape the horrific and detrimental anti-trans legislation, I can’t help but feel the anger boiling up inside of me. Today is supposed to be the celebration of freedom, yet here me and my people are, running to escape persecution and targeted discriminatory legislation in the United States. In less than a month, I had to empty a 12 12 storage unit with my entire life inside, taking only what fit in my van with me; I had to turn in my resignation to my career job and tell my team-which was the most difficult part of it all, and I had to say goodbye to my friends-turned-family and say goodbye to the life I built myself.
By River Garman3 years ago in Pride
My Experience as Neurodivergent Adult
Perfectly fine and happy one minute, the next minute so exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally there isn’t anything left to do but lay in bed and sleep. We have all been there. As an extroverted introvert, this is a constant battle I face. Most days I feel completely drained after work, self-isolating until I return to work the next day. My days off are spend in self-isolation, usually working on my novel, or playing Fallout ™ or Wolfenstein ™. I occasionally go to the theme parks, but only if I wear my Boise ™ noise-cancelling headphones. As a child, I was energetic, extremely outgoing, and enjoyed being with friends and around people.
By River Garman3 years ago in Psyche
When Human Rights Are No Longer a Right. Content Warning.
In the past several weeks, we have seen some of the most extremist anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the nation introduced and passed here in Florida. Just when we think something couldn’t possibly get worse, it does, because they aren’t done. These bigoted pieces of legislation include:
By River Garman3 years ago in Humans
What Silence, Complacency, and Comfort has Brought Us
This morning, we woke up to the news that Florida has not made it illegal for trans people to receive HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). I personally received notification from my doctor that I am no longer able to receive my prescription. Not only did the State of Florida just rule into law that I will have to utilize the women’s restroom or risk arrest, imprisonment, sex crime charges, etc., but now I cannot have access to life-saving medication. I sit here in Starbucks, wondering what we are all pondering right now. How did we get here? What has led us to this moment? Silence. Complacency. Comfort. We allowed them to take advantage of us.
By River Garman3 years ago in Humans
Existence in a Trumpian Society
The news this week broke that Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, would declare war on the existence and civil rights of trans people should he be re-elected in the 2024 US Presidential elections. I thought I would react more negatively to the news. I thought I would be surprised, shocked, horrified, appalled, but I wasn’t. I enjoy writing out my thoughts, so I decided to head down the rabbit trail of the all-too familiar anti-trans rhetoric that has been building to a climax over the past few years.
By River Garman3 years ago in Humans
How to Heal. Top Story - September 2018.
What happens when everything in your life seems to be going great, and then in the blink of an eye, you lose everything. And I truly mean, everything. Your entire world is turned upside down and shaken so thoroughly it will never be the same.
By River Garman7 years ago in Psyche
3 Lies About PTSD
1. You will be stigmatized. People will assume you have been to war, or you were involved in such a horrendous attack that you can’t possibly function as a human being. While this IS true and valid, this may not be the case for everyone. Some individuals living with PTSD may have been assaulted sexually or physically, or may have been mentally or physically abused, or have faced a mass shooting, as is unfortunately becoming so prevalent as of lately. Any diagnosis of PTSD is valid. One seemingly “greater” traumatic experience does not invalidate the way your brain processes the traumatic experience you have faced. Do not believe the lie that because what you faced “was not as bad” as someone else, that your experience cannot warrant you a survivor. It’s ok to have the feelings you have. You never have to answer to another person. Every person is different. There are no two people exactly identical, and the same can be said for the experiences people go through in their lifetime.
By River Garman7 years ago in Psyche
Pondering Existence
Recently, I have faced death. Not only in my family with the death of my beloved Nanna and then Aunt two weeks later, but also within friends’ lives as well—not necessarily being human; family can also be your pets or those close to you that you consider family. I have witnessed the death of two of my friends’ very loved and faithful companions this week. It appears death has begun to rampage our world. The pain I have felt in the last month, and the pain that I have seen in my friends’ lives has left me pondering how fleeting life really is. How short our life is in the span of the age of time itself. When a loved one passes, in our pain we begin to question life itself. What are we here for? What is the point of our existence if life itself is so very fleeting? As someone who suffers with PTSD and depression, these questions, and many similar, flow through my mind consistently. I remember quite recently toward the beginning of this year, I penned the following paragraph. I was in a dark place, having recently had a medical scare.
By River Garman7 years ago in Motivation
