Journal WWI                                                       May 10, 1917               It’s unbelieveable how confusing life can be! I am very glad that I am able to go on the trip to be a nurse overseas but just in the past few days I have heard some very horrifying stories from some soldiers who came home because they are injured (and horrible some of those injuries are) or because they are on leave.                 There is Johnny’s best friend Kenny. I remember him before the war…his hair was so shiny and golden. And he looked so cute in his uniform for the diner. The way he was so muscular from playing all the sports in school and he was so tan. And his smile…it could make me melt like Clark Gable. But now…now Kenny doesn’t smile anymore. He’s covered in bruises from head to toe and he has lost his leg. They had to amputate it. He got shot when he was on the front and it got infected because there weren’t enough supplies or nurses to aid him in time. The infection spread and there was nothing the doctors could do but take it off. He would have surely died if they didn’t. He’s home now and he acts as though his spirit has left him forever.                I want to go to the front to save people like Kenny. If I could save just one man’s life, I would feel as though I have saved a million. But Kenny tells me horrible stories about life in a war. He talks about all of the gunfire and the bombing…relentless bombing. The sounds so loud that its as if someone stuck a metal bowl over your head and pounded it with a mallet. And he says that there are dead men from both sides laying everywhere. You can’t hide from it. He said there’s barely any food and the living conditions are horrid. He told me not to go. He said if I was smart that I would stay in New York where I had a good safe life, away from the guns and killing.                I know that Kenny says its bad, but the things that happened must have been just that bad in that place. I think where I am going it will be a lot better. Even if I get sent to one of those horrible places though, I will be able to help so many of those men. I am one of the best and fastest bandagers on the whole floor.                I’m waiting outside the boat right now that will take me to my warside destination. My head is telling me not to go, saying that I should just continue to help people here. But my heart is screaming at me to go and help those who really need help- help the men at war.