Children of The Church: My Career and Where They Were Born

When I was entering college, now 15 years ago thought I wanted to be a doctor. I started my freshman year declaring that I was "pre-med" and thinking I would either get degree in Biology or Psychology. By the second semester of my freshman year I knew that being a doctor was not what I wanted to do. I loved medicine, but I really felt called to the vocation of being a wife and mother and knew that I would want to dedicate time to being home if at all possible. I started looking at other ways to fulfill both dreams and looked into the idea of being a physical or occupational therapist or nurse. I was not set on anything and kept praying and discerning what would be best.

During the first semester of my sophomore year my future husband and I had met each other. We were not dating and had no idea what our future held, but he was was always a fantastic support to help me discern what I wanted to do for my education and future career. At the time he was getting a degree in Emergency Medical Services to be a paramedic and also strongly dedicated in pre-medicine. He was and is amazing with how dedicated he has been over the past 15 years to learn how to help others through being a physician.

Anyway, it was during my Junior year of college that I figured out that I was being called to be a Nurse. I was on tract to get a Psychology degree by this point, and although they had a traditional four year Nursing degree at Creighton University where I was attending, due to my late start toward that degree it would have taken me a total of 6 years to achieve. My great Academic Advisor directed me to consider Creighton University's Accelerated Nursing Program. It is a 12 month program where someone who already has a 4 year Bachelor's Degree can receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in a mere 12 months. It is intense, but after a lot of thought I knew it would be best for me. (I'm laughing now, that in the middle of this SUPER INTENSE program was when my husband and I decided to get married!) Even better, the hospital associated with our school had a fantastic program that if you signed a work commitment for once you graduated that they would pay for your Nursing School! YEAH!

So, I finished Nursing School and as a newlywed with my husband in his second year of medical school I started my career as a Nurse. I started working in the Postpartum (Mother/Baby) Unit working nights. It was a fantastic and gentle way to learn all about the field of nursing. After about a year I transferred to the Labor and Delivery Unit and fell in love. I adored being a part of a families most important days of their lives! Even with the sad occasions when a baby would die or have a very bad outcome, somehow there became a beautiful opportunity to really connect with people and have an impact on their lives. The people that I worked with were fantastic and taught me so much more than how to be a Nurse but also how to be a good mother and friend. I worked there for four wonderful years before my husband and I decided it was time for a change.

By this time we had two young children 2 years old and under and working 12 hour shifts was really hard on all of us. My husband was still in Medical School so we knew that I needed to continue working to financially support our family. I was really blessed to find an amazing job as a Maternal / Child community health nurse where I worked for another 2 1/2 years only 32 hours a week until we moved for my husband's fellowship program and I made the transition to staying at home full time.

The other really special place about the hospital where I first worked, is not only is it where I started my career but it is also where our first three children were born. Some people thought it would be strange to deliver your child where you work but I loved it. It was so comforting and special to be surrounded by friends (who felt truly like family) on those significant days in our families life (especially for our first born who's delivery ended up with an Emergency C-section!).

Well, fast forward 10 years now and this hospital that holds so many memories for me is now closing. The nurses (past and present) had a great big farewell party and I was so glad to be able to attend with the kids. It was great to see a lot of wonderful people and even more special to be able to show our oldest children the places and rooms where we first met! This place will forever hold a special place in my heart.