Talk about team spirit!

I have always been a debater about the whole "women have a higher tolerance for pain" and the pros to this debate usually state that "women give birth, that is painful and they do it so therefore women have a higher tolerance for pain". However, I always counter back saying that while women do give birth, the body naturally releases a form of pain killer that dulls the pain so that while they might not be given any synthetic drug from the doc, there is always that natural drug to help ease the pain. Also, I was talking to a nurse in the maternity ward and she was suggesting that there is some research done that has implied that the woman, at the time, will experience pain but after the experience is over and the child is born, the bodies (either physical or psychological) defense mechanisms kick in and the woman starts to forget the pain that she just experienced.

So while I am not saying that women handle pain less well than men, or that men are tougher than women, I do take the position that pain, like all other things in life, is very individualistic. To say that "68% of women handle pain better than men, so therefore women handle pain better than men" is about as misleading as saying "68% of women spend $400 or more on shoes every 6 months, therefore all women spend $400/6 months on shoes". I know some women and men that will sprain their wrist and will finish their job, walk to the docs, ask for a quick splint and be on the job site within the hour to finish the day without complaining about pain; I also know a few men and women that get a splinter and complain about the pain all day long and look for time off work.

That being said, THIS woman gets my standing ovation applause. I mean, talk about not only your team spirit and dedication to a group of students. When they say that people lack dedication, this really isn't a good piece of evidence for that argument. Lady gives birth and then shows up at a game to cheer on her girls that she has coached. To her, I give a hearty salute and standing ovation for her dedication.


http://healthandfitness.sympatico.msn.ca/U+of+Nebraska+womens+basketball+coach+attends+game+hours+after+giving+birth/News/ContentPosting.aspx?isfa=1&newsitemid=37834027&feedname=CP-ODDITIES&show=False&number=0&showbyline=False&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc

U of Nebraska women's basketball coach attends game hours after giving birth
14/03/2007 11:09:00 AM

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) - About five hours after giving birth to her first child, University of Nebraska at Kearney women's basketball coach Carol Russell was out of the hospital and on the bench to help coach her players in the North Central Region basketball tournament.

"I could have watched the Webcast, but I wanted to be there for the girls because they've been working so hard for this all year," Russell said.

The University of North Dakota beat the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers 108-75 for the regional championship Monday night, to advance to the NCAA Division II tournament in Kearney, Neb.
Russell said her team seemed tired in the second half. And being tired was something she could relate to.

"I usually stand up the whole game, but I didn't have the energy," said Russell, 35, who's in her fifth year as head coach.

Russell had permission from doctors to attend the game. She arrived at the game early in the first half and sat on the team bench. Assistant coach Tim Connealy took over most of the coaching duties while Russell said she provided mostly "input and encouragement."

"I was about three minutes late," Russell said. "I'm always on my kids about being late, but I guess they understood why I was."

Russell said her arrival at the game caused double takes by players, coaches and referees, who knew she had just had a baby.

Newborn Isaac bounced in at 6 pounds, 14 ounces.

"She comes to town, has a baby and goes back to coach the game," said Grand Forks Mayor Mike Brown, an obstetrician who was one of Russell's doctors at Altru Hospital.

"She was due, so she hand-carried her OB records with her to travel," Brown said. "It makes you smile."

Russell said she gave birth at about 1:45 p.m. Monday.

"I wasn't really thinking about the game at that point," she said. "It's the birth of my first child, so obviously that came first."

But shortly before game time, "I started feeling better," she said, and decided to go to the game.
Russell said hospital officials gave Isaac some UND Fighting Sioux outfits.

"We're honored the baby chose our community," said Brown, the city's mayor.

Russell was slated to check out of the Grand Forks hospital on Tuesday afternoon. She planned to fly back to Nebraska with her team, her husband and Isaac. But she said the baby wouldn't be dressed in his new North Dakota baby clothes.

"That might be a little salt in wounds for my players, so I doubt it," Russell said.
Isaac may have a permanent reminder about his time in North Dakota, Russell said.

"My family is kidding me about naming him Dakota," Russell said. "We're still searching for a middle name, and that's an option."