Monday, March 08, 2010

RUBY SISTERHOOD

Chef Elisabeth made a delicious as the two of us were celebrating 30 years of rare sisterhood.
Elisabeth became my college working in a home for mentally disabled in 1980. She was and is that kind of brave, honest,caring and outspoken person I can't help, but admire. We connected immediately and are still close.
15 years ago there was a great change in the way mentally challenged persons were treated.Disciples of the American psychologist Skinner, preached and forced nurses to practice a strong regime of extreme punishment and reward.
I was away on sick leave at the time, but Turd and Elisabeth stood tall and denied to exercise a Guantanamo like treatment against innocent people.

That created a huge storm all over Norway. TV and our two largest news papers reacted on behalf of the mentally retarded and my two friends. Locally the persons in administrative power, the union and even the politicians went to court to get my friends sacked. My friends won after 3 rounds and 5 years in court. It even resulted in a change both in laws protecting mentally challenged and a whistle blower act.
Elisabeth was even rewarded with a special price, only offered to 10 people in Norway, amongst others our former king and our crown prince.



The fight and the victory had its dark side. Both my friends are suffering great health damages as a consequence the long battle.
Like heroic soldiers, Elisabeth has to cope with post traumatic stress syndrome. Life is not that fair. Never has she given up. She's a wonderful mother, friend, daughter and wife.

She smiles like heaven when she talks about good food, and is indeed a master cook. The other day she invited me to a wonderful evening.The menu for two was fresh lobster, crab fish, shrimps, salad and pink champagne. I smiled too, when Gunnar picked me up at 3 in the morning.

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today