About Me
I graduated from Sumner High School in
1998 knowing that I liked working with people, but unsure what I wanted to be
when I grew up. Throughout my high school tenure, I was heavily involved
in theater and music, dedicating my time to after school plays and jazz choir
as well as concert choir and my normal curriculum. The thought of
nursing, while I thought was interesting, did not seem a career choice. Forsaking higher education for a job, I
worked in the restaurant industry until I turned 21, where I then became a
beverage server at a casino. I did not consider this a career, but
enjoyed the fast paced environment and customer service. This is where I
met my husband. From the time my water broke to the time
my daughter was born, 34 hours past. I remember the last nurse before I was dilated enough
to begin to push, and wishing she would stay. The next nurse who came in
truly made my experience memorable. She was unsympathetic, brusque, and
to me a little lax about safety. As she was changing my IV, she got air
into the line. I panicked, and she brushed me off. "Oh, don't
worry about it." She told me. I had difficulty feeling contractions
due to my epidural, and the nurse was frustrated that I couldn't read the
squiggly lines to know when I should push right. As a patient the feeling I got was not one of
comfort or support, but of worry, frustration, and being too stupid to be in
labor. From that moment, I decided that I never wanted anyone to feel the way I had. Medical care for the patient can be an overwhelming experience. The nurse can make a situation a good experience, or one of the worst of your life. Filled with a purpose, I went back to college to begin my education in the field of nursing. Family
My children Leilani and Darrian are
also big inspirations in my life. Though I am not their biological
mother, I love them like my own. They are true survivors, and are able to
be happy and joyous through much adversity. My younger two, Maile and Daniel are
the true catalysts for change in my life. I have learned selfless love,
and the joy of caring for others through them. I have never found
anything more rewarding than my children. They have made me a better
person and it is humbling the absolute trust they place in me. All my kids have also taught me that
patience is a virtue, that prioritizing care is necessary for order, and
clustering care is essential to finish tasks. I look forward to teaching them by example, and to show that serving others is rewarding. |
Documents
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. I Corinthians 13:11 |
I am the oldest of three girls in a
family of mixed heritage. My mother is from Venezuela, and my father is
from Washington State. I never considered myself multicultural or thought
about how my multicultural background would affect me until I was much
older. I could never figure out as a child if I was supposed to check the
"White" or "Hispanic" box, so routinely checked both.
I am not "other."
These are the people who inspire me
day to day. Without my husband's support, both emotionally and financially, I
would never be able to have gone back to school.