Today would have been my grandmother's 103rd birthday. She's been gone a long time (20 years) and not a day goes by that I don't think about her. I'm reading a book by Debbie Macomber called God's Guest List, and in it she talks about how God sends people into our lives for a reason. Today, I read about how family members impact our lives, and the first person I thought of was my grandmother. She was a huge influence for me. I chose to become a nurse because of her. She left home against her mother's wishes to go to nursing school. Her dad took her to Philadelphia and dropped her off at Jefferson. She died before I graduated, which made me sad, because she was very excited that I had decided to take that path, my mother, not so much. History was repeating itself a little bit. But, once I got going my mother was very supportive. When I graduated instead of ordering a pin from my nursing school I asked my mom for my grandmother's nursing school pin. When I was pinned at graduation, I was pinned with her pin. I still have that pin, I wear it every time I go on a job interview. Interestingly enough, I've been offered each position where I wore that pin, with the exception of one. I still got that position, the interview was a spur of the moment thing and I didn't have her pin with me.
My grandmother was a wonderful human being. She was a devoted mother, and grandmother. She loved us all very much and we loved and treasured her. She loved her profession and she was amazing. My grandfather died when my mom and my aunt were pretty young. I think my Uncle was in the service when his dad died, so he wasn't living at home. My grandmother was working in the operating room working nights. She'd come home and get my aunt and my mom off to school, sleep for a few hours and be ready to help with homework, and get dinner and then start all over again. After my grandfather died, she became the school nurse so that she could have a more regular schedule and her summers free when my mom and my aunt were out of school. That was the job that I remember her doing and doing all of her good works through.
She wasn't just the school nurse. She was "Aunt Dot" to just about every kid in town. She kept a clothes closet in her office. She made mittens, hats and scarves and kept them in her office, as well as spare jeans, pants, shirts, sweaters, coats and shoes. She knew that somebody would come to school without. She was a wonderful listener and advocate for those kids who needed her. I'm sure that more than once she stood up to some parent who was taking too firm a hand to their child. I can see her now. She was small, but mighty. I wouldn't tangle with her, because when she got her back up about something...just look out! Her heart was large and full of love for just about everybody, and she hated injustice. During segregation she was the only nurse who would go to the little school where the black kids went. Those kids deserved to have a nurse and she was more than willing to step up. I think if there had been medical mission trips back then, she would have done that too.
I feel her presence everyday. Every now and then she'll pass through my dreams at night. I think she just wants me to know that she's still around. I'm happy that she is on my "guest list," and that I feel her in the person I have grown up to be. I am honored to share my profession with her and I think she would be amazed at how much nursing has changed over the years - even since I graduated back in the 90's. So Happy Birthday Dorothy! Tonight I raise my glass to you and your wonderful life! Cheers!
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