Fifty years ago this week I graduated from Pasadena City College's School of Nursing. Dressed in my starched white uniform, perfectly set cap, and a wool red and blue cape I marched into the Rose Bowl with my class of forty nursing students and a thousand cap and gowned regular college students. It was a hot day and that wool cape was uncomfortably warm, but I did look so professional and I felt so proud.
I chose wisely when I became a nurse. The career suited me. I delivered babies and cared for tiny preemies. I gave shots, started IVs, emptied bedpans, changed dressings, bathed and comforted the sick. I held both patients and their families while they cried. I cheered when they recovered. I learned so much about life and people. I have so many wonderful stories and memories. I loved being a nurse. Now I enjoy knowing that my RN stands for retired nurse.
On that day fifty years ago my parents were proud and happy, just as parents everywhere have always been on graduation day.
3 comments:
Oh wow! I am so proud to look at those images and to know the feeling of how it is to graduate something so special as nursing. Amazing times.... happy 50th anniversary xoxo
I need to add, Once a nurse, always a nurse, no matter if you are retired. xoxo
That is just so lovely. My eldest sister is a renal Dialysis nurse (60) and it is getting hard for her to work full time as it is hard and emotional work - but she works for 2 reasons - 1. she loves the work - was a high school English teacher before and 2. she has to as she doesn't yet own her house despite working all her life - (chose the wrong husbands who did very nicely) so from her I do know how you feel because she tells it the same. from her dedication
Post a Comment