Movie review: Sister Kenney – Could you really not work as a nurse if you were married?

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Recovering slowly from a recent nasty bout with pneumonia, I’ve just been treating myself to reading and movies. Surprised to notice what looked like a really good movie on television today called Sister Kenney. I’m thinking, can I be turning on the TV so early in the morning? Yeah, desperate times…

Rosalind Russell stars in this 1946 story of a nurse who intuitively developed a way to treat polio that brought many children back to health–without horrible casts and splints and braces. Fascinating story of how the medical establishment censured her, fought her clinics, and generally made her life miserable for 35 years. But people kept bringing her their kids, so her reputation grew. One doctor friend supported her all the way, and eventually a few orthopedic docs in Minnesota began to listen to her.

Screenshot of Rosalind Russell from the traile...

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Fascinating tidbit. According to the movie, she couldn’t get married, because if she did she would no longer be allowed to practice nursing. I tried looking this up—didn’t know if this was a law or just an accepted convention of society. Apparently a very tiny percentage (like less than 7%) of married women worked before WWII. So it may have been that she was simply expected to stop working if she got married. But anyway she chose her work helping children over marriage to this man who loved her. What I can’t figure out is why he just went away instead of staying to spend their lives together. Probably because back then if you weren’t married you also didn’t get to have sex—unless you were a loose woman.

Great story. Great distillation of the struggles that women have had to go through to achieve their goals/dreams. Though it takes a few liberties with the facts, the movie adheres to the spirit of Sister Kenney’s life.  The star Rosalind Russell actually became friends with the woman herself when her niece was treated with the Kenney treatments. Here’s the actual history.

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It’s the middle of the worst time of the winter–and this Chicago winter weather’s a real bear so far! Two feet of snow in one day; dirty, ice-encrusted mountains now of three and more feet high—even close to three stories in some of the big parking lots. Plus I’ve been fighting a severe case of bronchitis-cum-crud for more than two weeks, including a trip to the ER for coughing that was keeping me sleeping bolt upright far too long. Hope you’re doing better than that…

Monday is Valentine’s Day. A day to treasure yourself and your friends with words and even cards or hearts. Some single women tend to get down because they don’t have romance in their lives on this day. Why surrender to that kind of thinking? Put romance in your own life—take a bath with rose petals. Pour yourself a glass of champagne; treat yourself to a really special chocolate or other fabulous dessert. Seriously, find a really good chocolate shop and buy yourself a couple of favorites. Do it at home alone, or do it with friends—at home or out somewhere. Buy yourself a beautiful piece of lingerie if you love that sort of thing; you will know you’re wearing it. Or even treat yourself to a beautiful new piece of jewelry.

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But it can be most rewarding to share with your friends. Spend an evening together—talk about all the fun things you do in your lives. Talk about the fun times you’ve had. Plan an excursion together. Surprise each other with thoughtful little gifts. Women are each other’s greatest supports—a day like Valentine’s Day is a perfect time to honor that truth. Who cares what anyone else is doing?

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