 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| With Bonnie's support I have fulfilled a lifelong dream to be a nurse |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Our Story... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There is no failure on the road to success, only delays. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ever since I worked as an orderly in the '60's, I have wanted to be a nurse, but it wasn't till 1998 that I realized that dream. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I attended Charlotte Vo-tech and became an LPN. My dream had been realized. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The greater part of my LPN career has been spent working with hospice patients. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At some point in my nursing career, I realized a desire inside to go on with my education and get my RN. I had no idea the work that was ahead for me. I knew very little about how college worked and had no clue as to the prerequisites necessary just to get into the Advanced Nursing Program at Edison. What I did know was that I wanted to advance my nursing career to the RN level. That's all I needed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Being an older student was a big issue for me. I remember one of my first classes on campus was filled with 20 year olds and under. There I was; 61, grey hair and scared to death. I had not applied myself in high school, choosing to be a "James Dean" rebel instead. Now here I was, taking on college level courses. Fear of failure was staring me in the face. I would really have to want to be an RN more than anything. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I accomplished the prerequisites, one course at a time and maintained a 4.0 grade point average, proving to myself that I could do the work. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I also discovered that there is a lot of support on campus for older students from the staff and student body. My list of excuses for not pursuing a higher education was crumbling right before my eyes. I did not have to live in the Land of Mediocrity after all. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I was accepted into the Advanced Nursing Program in the fall of 2002. I came into the program knowing I could do the work and was not worrying about my age so much anymore. Then I met the biggest challenge of all; Critical Thinking. All the tests were based on this type of thinking and it didn't take long for my 4.0 to take a real beating. My confidence went flying out the window and my list of excuses returned in a flash. I couldn't believe I had come this far just to crash and burn. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I remember going to the doctor with a pulled muscle in my leg, only to hear that there was something wrong with my heart. I was in the first semester of the program. Looking back, I have to wonder if it was the medical news that something may be wrong with my heart or if it was the disappointment in my low test scores in the nursing program that caused me to quit. Maybe it was a combination of these, nevertheless I withdrew from the program that I had worked so hard to be a part of. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In one instant, I had given up on my goals and dreams. The months that followed were the most discontent months I have ever known. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| My wife, Bonnie, has always been my biggest supporter. She cheered me on every step of the way. Without her support I don't believe I would be a nurse today. One day Bonnie looked at me and said, "You're miserable; you need to get back into the nursing program." She was right. I took her advice and re-entered the program in the fall of 2003. I had lost a year, but I was, once again, pursuing my dream to be an RN. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There is no failure on the road to success, only delays. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Value of Time | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nursing Page | Don't Quit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thoughts For Success | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| One Day At A Time | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Land of Mediocrity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lessons from Geese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||