It seems right now is a time of growth, both universally, and on
the NUHS campus. Since the start of this trimester, we have lost
two amazing members of NUHS life.
We lost Zandie, a naturopathic student, who touched many lives.
This is evident as everyone who knew her speaks of her with loving
memories. Miravone, one of our other bloggers, has written about
the wonderful legacy Zandie lived, which you may want to read (see:
"One of Our
Own," "Saying Goodbye") . I think you will be
inspired by the life Zandie lived. Unfortunately, I did not have
the pleasure of knowing Zandie. Her death caused much sadness in
the student body and the faculty.
Then, last Tuesday, we were informed that a member of NUHS
faculty, Dr. Shellee Handley, was tragically killed in a motorcycle
accident. I did not know Dr. Handley either, but have heard story
upon story of how wonderful she was and the remarkable life she
lived. Again, sadness was felt by everyone at the university. Many
faculty members expressed difficulty moving through the day due to
the shock and grief of the loss of Dr. Handley.
While small in comparison, I experienced some unsettling shocks
in my personal life. On Monday, I experienced a surprising and
abrupt end to an 11-year friendship--this was my best friend. Then,
on Wednesday, a very close family member of mine had a serious
medical emergency and had to be admitted into the hospital.
Fortunately, he has been discharged and is recovering well. As you
may guess, school and studying were pushed to the side by late
Wednesday night. It took me until Friday to regain much time and
attention to be able to study.
All these events caused me to evaluate my life, where I am at
and where I am going. I thought about these, and other deep
interpersonal questions, which often leads one to choose to make
life-changing choices such as becoming a student or making some
other form of life change. While there are a few things I would
like to change if I had the option, overall, I realize everything
is perfect as it is for my family and me.
While I originally began my MSOM solely for the purpose of
helping others, I realize more and more how the journey is helping
and teaching me much more than only on a scholastic level. As I
wrote last week, being a student at NUHS teaches me how to better
prioritize and manage my time. Interning in the clinic is teaching
me patient care, of course, but on a personal level, it reminds me
every day how precious life is and to always treasure it.
The recent NUHS tragedies and my personal experiences further
remind me that we do not know what each day brings. Today is the
day to pursue my dreams, bring as much goodness into this world as
I am capable, and live my life to its fullest. I'm learning that
living my life to its fullest does not mean something grandiose. It
simply means being the best person I can be and applying my
abilities in the best possible ways. For me, two of these abilities
are becoming an acupuncturist and herbologist. These roles bring
much joy into my life and hopefully much benefit into others'
lives, also!
The blog pictures I chose this week are of flowers from Hawaii.
My sister and brother-in-law are vacationing in Hawaii right now.
It was interesting to be in the midst of what felt like chaos at
times, and to look down at my phone and see these beautiful
photographs. It reminded me of something my mom often tells
me, "It all depends where you are in the circle." My mom is a
retired nursing professor and has always taught me that
perspective. I have found her wisdom is a necessity when
administering patient care, as well as self-care.