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Monday, May 7, 2012

Growing into Nursing


Tender new growth requires
the right soil
strong support and
a good dose of sunshine

My soil was 
my family and
my community

My supports were
role models and 
early life experience

The sunshine I was exposed to was
kindness
teaching
firmness
care
from the nurses in my life

Three of my role models were
our community’s public health nurse, Mrs. Allen
our family's cousin, Maxine, and,
a favourite community member, Stella

Mrs. Allen was the Public Health nurse 
for our town’s prairie region, 
delivering care and vaccinations to us all.
I’m sure she did much more than that
however at age five, and younger, I only saw
a tall, well coifed woman in a trim navy blue uniform.
Efficient and always welcomed in our home.

Maxine, a cousin who lived with us for a time.
I remember watching her prepare for work,
donning the stiff white uniform of the day,
black banded nurses cap, and sensible shoes.
She transformed from my cousin, to a nurse who had
her own car, and travelled to Regina to work.  
Further enhancing her image, and 
showing me that nurses travel with their work, and 
can be independent, taking work in Australia 
via the Queen Mary II, a grand ship on the Canard line,
coming home a year later through Egypt.

Stella, a good and kind friend of our small town,
gave people allergy shots when needed and 
was the ‘go to’ person with health questions.

These were but three women 
who showed me 
how to be a nurse,
long before I knew 
‘what I wanted to be when I grew up’.

A dream you dream alone is only a dream,
a dream you dream together is a reality.”
John Lennon

2 comments:

Janet said...

Sue, this is a nice tribute to the nurses in Milestone at that time.
I do not remember Maxine wearing a uniform and driving to work in Regina from our house in Milestone. Interesting, which events from childhood are remembered by different members of our family.

Susan Ward said...

Thanks Jan,
This is a memory I have had for many years. And maybe only occurred one time.