Mrs. DelCollo
It's official. For a while I was so overwhelmed with emotions I didn't know where to start. I found myself bursting at the seams, feeling like I could ramble for two days straight - as soon as I'd sit down I wouldn't know where to start.
We never did get moved into the apartment before the wedding. In fact, we've been married for three weeks now and a lot of my things still aren't here. All I need to survive on a daily basis are my shower things and clean navy blue scrubs, my life has become so boring without color. The two big things I really want to bring over are my book case and my desk. At the moment my computer is on the floor in the spare bedroom and I'm sitting on the floor. Plus I'm pretty sure my dad is anxious for me to get out so he can take over my room for his new office.
The wedding was uneventful. I mean that in a good way. With all the last-minute problems I endured I was just happy for it to all be over. The same goes for the reception a week later. Dan and I were both so excited when it was over, we went out afterwards with a bunch of our friends and finally let all of our emotions from the past 10 days out.
Life since then has been fairly boring. I woke up the day of the reception with a cough. Eleven days later, I'm still producing colorful sputum and spiking occasional fevers. Yesterday my boss informed me I was to stay home until I was better, so I'm home by myself with nothing to do. We do have cable tv, something we never had when I was living with my parents, but I have to say I find it a little disappointing. I was expecting to find myself glued to the television for days on end, but I find myself bored more than anything else. This morning I actually sat on the deck reading and then fell asleep in the sun.
Life is different. I've been thinking a lot lately about how much has changed. When I was in third grade I met a girl in my scout troop who I never gave a second thought. We were social with each other through school, but never really close friends. Years later, I was her maid of honor, she helped my pick out my dress and styled my hair for my wedding, and I care for her son as if he was my own. I had lots of friends growing up that I thought I'd never loose contact with. I don't speak with any of them now. Not that I have something against them, I guess I just needed to find my true self. I knew my whole life I wanted to be a nurse, but it was during my A&P class in high school that my passion for physiology was truly ignited. I owe my current career to the teacher who taught that class. During my freshman year of college I emailed him to express my appreciation but I always wished I'd have a chance for him to see what I'd become. Upon returning from our honeymoon we discovered he lives around the corner and is friends with the man downstairs.
At the beginning of the summer my dad's family got together at a cabin for a weekend reunion. My mom later told me she'd been hurt when one of my dad's sisters made it a point to start a conversation at the dinner table about "accomplishments." She said that it would appear to an onlooker that I must be an accomplished person. I graduated high school ranked 13th. For a girl who never really studied very hard, I'm pretty proud of that, especially considering I also managed a job during those years. I completed four years of college, despite suffering a life-threatening illness and traumatic injury. I graduated, passed my licensure exam with the minimum number of questions, and obtained a job at one of the most reputable hospitals in the state. She then went on to say that perhaps I wasn't accomplished, comparing me to people who give away all their worldly possessions to give their lives to missions work. My mom took these comments as a personal attack against me and our family.
I thought a lot about her comments over the summer and have found myself agreeing with her. A college degree does not make a person accomplished. A resume doesn't define the worth of a person. But I do consider myself accomplished. I married a man who sat by my side in an Intensive Care Unit. I have a best friend who offers to be a shoulder to cry on, even when she hasn't slept in two days and I just awoke her from a nap. I've never had anything handed to me. I worked through high school and worked two jobs the entire way through college to pay my tuition by myself. I only graduated a year ago, but I'm debt free. I didn't take the summer off to travel, I continued to work as an aide while I studied for my boards exam. I've always worked to earn the things I enjoy in life. And five days a week I pull on horrid navy blue scrubs and dedicate my life to caring for others. Yesterday I had two elderly women who both have advanced dementia and experience sundowners syndrome. Previous nurses had restrained them and/or sedated them. I put them in recliners in the hallway where they could be watched. I even pulled up a chair between them and shared my dinner with them. Yes, I do believe I am accomplished. I'm happy with the life that I've earned for myself. I'm not sure how I could be any more accomplished than that?
We never did get moved into the apartment before the wedding. In fact, we've been married for three weeks now and a lot of my things still aren't here. All I need to survive on a daily basis are my shower things and clean navy blue scrubs, my life has become so boring without color. The two big things I really want to bring over are my book case and my desk. At the moment my computer is on the floor in the spare bedroom and I'm sitting on the floor. Plus I'm pretty sure my dad is anxious for me to get out so he can take over my room for his new office.
The wedding was uneventful. I mean that in a good way. With all the last-minute problems I endured I was just happy for it to all be over. The same goes for the reception a week later. Dan and I were both so excited when it was over, we went out afterwards with a bunch of our friends and finally let all of our emotions from the past 10 days out.
Life since then has been fairly boring. I woke up the day of the reception with a cough. Eleven days later, I'm still producing colorful sputum and spiking occasional fevers. Yesterday my boss informed me I was to stay home until I was better, so I'm home by myself with nothing to do. We do have cable tv, something we never had when I was living with my parents, but I have to say I find it a little disappointing. I was expecting to find myself glued to the television for days on end, but I find myself bored more than anything else. This morning I actually sat on the deck reading and then fell asleep in the sun.
Life is different. I've been thinking a lot lately about how much has changed. When I was in third grade I met a girl in my scout troop who I never gave a second thought. We were social with each other through school, but never really close friends. Years later, I was her maid of honor, she helped my pick out my dress and styled my hair for my wedding, and I care for her son as if he was my own. I had lots of friends growing up that I thought I'd never loose contact with. I don't speak with any of them now. Not that I have something against them, I guess I just needed to find my true self. I knew my whole life I wanted to be a nurse, but it was during my A&P class in high school that my passion for physiology was truly ignited. I owe my current career to the teacher who taught that class. During my freshman year of college I emailed him to express my appreciation but I always wished I'd have a chance for him to see what I'd become. Upon returning from our honeymoon we discovered he lives around the corner and is friends with the man downstairs.
At the beginning of the summer my dad's family got together at a cabin for a weekend reunion. My mom later told me she'd been hurt when one of my dad's sisters made it a point to start a conversation at the dinner table about "accomplishments." She said that it would appear to an onlooker that I must be an accomplished person. I graduated high school ranked 13th. For a girl who never really studied very hard, I'm pretty proud of that, especially considering I also managed a job during those years. I completed four years of college, despite suffering a life-threatening illness and traumatic injury. I graduated, passed my licensure exam with the minimum number of questions, and obtained a job at one of the most reputable hospitals in the state. She then went on to say that perhaps I wasn't accomplished, comparing me to people who give away all their worldly possessions to give their lives to missions work. My mom took these comments as a personal attack against me and our family.
I thought a lot about her comments over the summer and have found myself agreeing with her. A college degree does not make a person accomplished. A resume doesn't define the worth of a person. But I do consider myself accomplished. I married a man who sat by my side in an Intensive Care Unit. I have a best friend who offers to be a shoulder to cry on, even when she hasn't slept in two days and I just awoke her from a nap. I've never had anything handed to me. I worked through high school and worked two jobs the entire way through college to pay my tuition by myself. I only graduated a year ago, but I'm debt free. I didn't take the summer off to travel, I continued to work as an aide while I studied for my boards exam. I've always worked to earn the things I enjoy in life. And five days a week I pull on horrid navy blue scrubs and dedicate my life to caring for others. Yesterday I had two elderly women who both have advanced dementia and experience sundowners syndrome. Previous nurses had restrained them and/or sedated them. I put them in recliners in the hallway where they could be watched. I even pulled up a chair between them and shared my dinner with them. Yes, I do believe I am accomplished. I'm happy with the life that I've earned for myself. I'm not sure how I could be any more accomplished than that?