A Bittersweet Day

Ron and Liz greet me every day as I arrive!  

At last, a day long in coming, and both eagerly anticipated and dreaded at the same time.  Just as the day I graduated from nursing school was end of an long arduous slog - the closing of a chapter and the opening of a wonderful and exciting new one - and held a mixture of relief at a job done along with sorrow about the parting of so many colleagues, Saturday marked another chapter drawing to a close. And a closing which created similar feelings.  Nursing is difficult and stressful at times, but at all times, it is rewarding, giving one a sense of having a place in the world and of being able to improve the lives and well being of others. And Virginia Mason is, I think, one of the best places to be a nurse.

Darling Vinita was the first one to greet me when I first started as a unit secretary!

I will always remember Mary as being a big part of one of my happiest work days ever.

I don’t really enjoy being in the spotlight, and in groups, am usually striving to keep myself in the sidelines as an observer – “like a giant white mouse, creeping along the periphery” – as my husband used to say.  (I might add that we are both quite fond of small rodents, mice and rats in addition to the usual guinea pigs and gerbils, and so this was not the insult you might imagine.) Anyhow, in order to avoid attention, I refused to have a party, and had planned to just creep off, mouse like, into the work-world sunset.  But then, I could not do it.  So I made some cookies (a mini-party) and said goodbye to folks one at a time.  I had planned to take pictures of my dear fellow nursing staffers, but somehow, I ended up in most of them.  So this really must seem like a vanity photo shoot.  (As Karma, after the first batch, I dropped my camera and broke it, so some of the pics are from friend’s cell phones.)   I will miss seeing all these wonderful people every day, but I hope to see them occasionally in the future!    

Liz and sweet Apple

A gift from my dear Lovable Lizzy

As you can see, I work with a divine and divinely diverse of people.  These are only the last two days worth.  I'm sorry I missed saying goodbye (and getting photos) of so many others.  This is the first job I have ever had where one can truly say that there is not a single annoying one in the group.  I love them all!