Parent Story
Joy and Rachel
My badge says "Charge Nurse". My mission is to provide excellent patient care and to advocate for my patients, their families, and my staff. I have been serving as an RN for the past five years - the last two of those as a Charge Nurse. Education never stops. I have been working on my managerial skills for about two years now. I still have a long way to go, but I have made fantastic progress from my first time I walked throught that door on Garfield Avenue. Ten years ago, I had the Endicott Police helping me to get out of the apartment where I lived with my abusive husband and our beautiful smart two year old daughter. The SOS shelter provided me support to go to court, resource information, and most importantly a safe place where I could figure out what Rachel and I were going to do and where we were going to go. I had spent more than enough time in that relationship to learn that I could probably take his abuse even if it killed me. I also finally learned that I could not allow Rachel to grow up in that household, watching the fights, the swearing and the accusations. I couldn't have her learn to have that kind of relationship. The next place I turned for help was Mom's House. Like watching it happen to someone else, in crystal clarity I remember walking in that day. I couldn't hold myself upright let alone reveal my sin and shame that I had left my husband, (who used to joke about helping many women get their start there). I had to tell my story and find out if they thought they could help me. I dragged myself up the stairs, wanting to turn around at every step. I thought I was walking up to strangers and begging for help. That feeling was not due to anything anyone did or said. It was due to my complete lack of dignity, self-respect or self-worth. I was such a bad person, I was breaking up my marriage. What business did I have asking for help to move on and make a better life for Rachel and I. With help and support from Mom's House: the babysitting time, providing minor jobs, letting me talk; we got started. I don't doubt they could have given up on me at anytime. They didn't. They saved mailers for me to stuff envelopes, wash dishes, clean the classrooms...Anything to get in my required work time. While using Mom's House I attended BOCES Medical Office Assistant Program. I learned computer skills and medical terminology. These helped me earn a position as a Unit Secretary at Lourdes Hospital. I spent about one year learning that position and learning how different groups and leaders work and interact. I also learned I needed to go back to school. I was accepted into the nursing program at BCC. I took a few prerequisites and entered right into the program. It took me three years to complete a two year program. During that time in school I continued working at Lourdes and I was a volunteer at the YMCA teaching babies to swim. Rachel had the advantage of seeing my friends and me study together working towards a goal. She was included whenever possible: taking temperatures, learning to use a stethoscope, and learning bone names, etc. I met my husband, Joe, at nursing school. I was running a study group. Joe joined the group and as we were each dedicated to making it through school - not to finding a spouse. It took a long time for us to come to the acceptance that God put us together at that time, for a purpose. Rachel had the chance to see adults working together/studying together and growing as friends before we grew into a couple. The person I wrote about at the beginning is gone. I have a loving supportive husband. Rachel has a loving, involved father. She has never seen us fight - because we don't. We disagree occasionally but it's always communicated in a way that is caring and respectful. That's the model I always wanted for her to learn from. Mom's House was a major step on the road to who I am today.