Starting Over Talk - Peer Coaching Support Site

Just watched the news about her what a sick woman .

Just read that Ms. Nowak's victim has filed a restraining order against her, claiming that she stalked her for two months. I had not heard that mentioned before. In the initial report I did not get the impression that she knew who was following her...but maybe I missed something?

I feel a bit annoyed that there has been no mention that other astronauts have had emotional problems after space flights. I remember hearing about several in years past. If I'm not mistaken, a Russian cosmonaut even committed suicide. I don't mean to excuse her behavior, but I am interested in the "whys and wherefores." Was also shocked to read that our astronauts are NOT evaluated before OR after!

It seems clear that Ms. Nowak has been troubled for some time...her physical apearance alone should have given someone cause for alarm, IMO.

You can say that again. She looks really bad...sort of like crystal meth junky.

I was discussing the case to day with a colleague and she said she thought that the reason she wore the diaper was to save time as much as possible, so that after she killed the lady, she would drive back to Texas before the woman's body was even discovered and nobody would know she had left her home. If she was ever questioned, she would say that there is no way she could have driven there and back in such a short time. If she had flown there it would be a record of it.

From the items she had in her possession, she had planned this out very well. I do believe from the items she took, she planned to abduct the woman with the BB gun...the lady wouldn't know it wasn't real and would probably go along with her. Then she was going to tie her up and then beat her to death with the mallet. Then she would quickly drive back to Texas as if nothing happened.
Did I leave anything out?

Debby, You must have watched alot of Perry Mason episodes!

It's a wonder she didn't get pulled over for speeding. Wouldn't she have had to get gas? I'm sure there would have been credit card purchases for the gas... She wasn't thinking straight... I don't think she would have gotten away with it.. I'm glad her victim put up a heck of a fight..

I think she'll be able to pull off an insanity plea and avoid time altogether..<br><br>Post edited by: KPW1956, at: 2007/02/08 17:09

I agree KP............she would have used a credit card or even using cash, with her obvious looks she would have been recognized!!

Yeah, I think she'll cop a successful insanity plea.............but it really is very sad.........she has children!!!

I often wondered about the stresses these astronauts are under. It doesn't surprise me one bit that NASA doesn't do anything to check their mental health or what not... esp after the tragic loss of fellow astronauts. When it comes to the military, it takes a lot before Government sees a need to attend to the mental well being of their soldiers/ test pilots, etc. It's amost like because they were mentally fit going in, they should be mentally fit throughout, which may be a good thought if it was normal everyday stresses but they ignore the fact that these people are put through extraordinary stresses- soldiers, astronauts, and medical personal... battle, remote assignment, physically challenging work daily.

When I was in the military there were mental health services but you had to ask or brought in as a group (debriefings) and asked if anyone needed mental health help... and then if you went there- co-workers, supervisors, and sometimes higher up would question your personal fitness.. so it wasn't something used that often.

It's been war after war, tragedy after tragedy to get better mental health for any government agency and it's yet to be good enough.