10 Year Reunion!

Here we are 10 years ago,















my nursing college friends and me. Emily, Laura, and myself. We were study buddies. We talked of our relationships, our dreams, our troubles in life. We were each other's shoulders to cry on. We also kept each other in check (what paper was due, what did you answer on this test question, we'll go together for clinicals so we won't get lost.) A lot of memories that I can't even gather because nursing school was exciting and overwhelming all at the same time.


10 years later.........we are still connected. Sometimes, we may only have annual get togethers, but we always start where we left off. We all traveled to the same city. Worked for the same hospital system. Emily and Laura worked Rehab & Neurology clinic and Neuro-surgery clinic, I did telemetry and stayed. We all are mothers of two. Emily has two girls, Laura has two boys, and I have one of each. Our last pregnancies; we were all pregnant at the same time with due dates Sept. Oct. & Feb. We share so many similarities that it is unreal!
We traveled 2 hours to our old Alma Mater. We listened to the 50yr. reunion nurses tell their stories. Toured the new college and the old one; where many memories flooded back of classes.....and our seating arrangements (the three of us sat together!) We toured the hospital; and I realized that I really had a tunnel vision during clinicals (SURVIVAL), because I only felt glimpses of memories at the hospital. Probably because I was greatly overwhelmed with clinical anxiety. Emily told me that our instructor assigned her to me to get me through our clinicals......bless their hearts! This is probably why I have great empathy/excitement for nursing students, they shouldn't experience what I did.
The three of us visited non-stop, we did have to take a break during the dinner program. Unfortunately, we were the only three that represented our class of 47. We've networked through face book, but it didn't work out. I guess there's an informal reunion being planned but I'm nostalgic and want to meet where we all left; our college. We did a little mingling with the new grads at our table, and were flattered when they asked if we were the December 09 grads!

We did get to visit with one of our favorite instructors; Jackie. She was tiny but mighty (literally). I would present her with my medication and her silence was powerful...(I like to replicate this in my instruction!) We joked how she would tell me not to drop a pill and I would, don't faint watching the bronchoscopy and I did! Power of suggestion!

I told Jackie, I made it! I bloomed into a great nurse! I'm not anxious anymore! She had a hard time recollecting me as a student with anxiety, but it was great release to prove to her (mostly myself) that I survived and want to be a teacher now!

Good times, Good memories, Good friends!