Mary Pat Lamberti '94, a member of the Reunion Committee, sent in this story:
On the first day of class, I met a good friend for life. Elizabeth Cusanelli grew up in the New Haven area and was an avid swimmer. She swam on a masters' swim team with my husband but we had never met. We both practiced as RNs and were excited to be starting a new phase of our career. Throughout our time at YSN we supported each other -- through surgery, research, thesis presentation day. After gradution we coordinated with a single young man, Steve Raccuia. He met Elizabeth and fell in love! They are happily married with two children in Trumbull. Our families get together several times a year. We are good friends for life!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Sylvia Metzler '84
Sylvia Metzler '84 sent in her story via email:
When I entered the Yale FNP program in 1982, I had barely heard of the country of Nicaragua except for that old catchy tune. That changed after my first hectic and all consuming first semester when I began to hang out with some politically radical fellow students. They were very aware of current events in much of Latin America and were anxious to add to my Yale education. At that particular time, they were very upset about the US invasion of Granada and quite excited about the Sandinistas efforts to improve health care in Nicaragua. I quickly learned about the Sandinista overthrow of the Nicaraguan dictator, Samoa, in 1979 and their dream of a just economy with jobs, education, and health care for everyone.
Meanwhile, I was bombarded by news from the Reagan White House about the evils of this new Nicaraguan government, so I was understandably confused about the truth of this matter.
In the spring of 1984, I heard that a Yale medical student was organizing a delegation to travel to Nicaragua to look at the medical system there. I decided to take a spot on this delegation as a graduation present to myself and to see firsthand what was really going on. I spent two weeks with the delegation visiting hospitals, clinics, and health brigadistas and learned that the World Health Organization had cited Nicaragua for its great work in this field. I was especially impressed with their efforts in public health: a comprehensive vaccine program; promotion of breast feeding and good nutrition; training lay people to work in underserved and remote regions of the country. Then for two more weeks, I lived with a Nicaraguan family in Ciudad Sandino and helped to build houses for some survivors of a flood. I came home feeling very supportive of the new government there and very angry at the US government for trying to destroy it with the "Contra war."
Little did I know that all of this would eventually lead to my living and working there for two years. From 1989 to 1991 I served as a volunteer nurse practitioner with the Church of the Brethren at a clinic in Managua and also on the Atlantic (Mosquito) coast. It was a life transforming experience which led me on my return to the US to leave my home in the suburbs and to live in the inner city of Philadelphia. I have lived and worked in North Philadelphia ever since in a poor, underserved and mostly Spanish speaking community.
In addition, I joined a nonprofit group called Medicines for Nicaragua which supports the clinic in Managua where I used to work. We raise money to pay the salaries of the Nica staff, purchase medications, provide pap tests, and work with local groups on potable water and other public health projects. Every year since my return to the US, I have visited "mi pais segundo" to see old friends and to check on our various projects there.
My two years at the Yale School of Nursing not only gave me a new and satisfying career but even more importantly, a new set of values and priorities which have deeply enriched my life.
When I entered the Yale FNP program in 1982, I had barely heard of the country of Nicaragua except for that old catchy tune. That changed after my first hectic and all consuming first semester when I began to hang out with some politically radical fellow students. They were very aware of current events in much of Latin America and were anxious to add to my Yale education. At that particular time, they were very upset about the US invasion of Granada and quite excited about the Sandinistas efforts to improve health care in Nicaragua. I quickly learned about the Sandinista overthrow of the Nicaraguan dictator, Samoa, in 1979 and their dream of a just economy with jobs, education, and health care for everyone.
Meanwhile, I was bombarded by news from the Reagan White House about the evils of this new Nicaraguan government, so I was understandably confused about the truth of this matter.
In the spring of 1984, I heard that a Yale medical student was organizing a delegation to travel to Nicaragua to look at the medical system there. I decided to take a spot on this delegation as a graduation present to myself and to see firsthand what was really going on. I spent two weeks with the delegation visiting hospitals, clinics, and health brigadistas and learned that the World Health Organization had cited Nicaragua for its great work in this field. I was especially impressed with their efforts in public health: a comprehensive vaccine program; promotion of breast feeding and good nutrition; training lay people to work in underserved and remote regions of the country. Then for two more weeks, I lived with a Nicaraguan family in Ciudad Sandino and helped to build houses for some survivors of a flood. I came home feeling very supportive of the new government there and very angry at the US government for trying to destroy it with the "Contra war."
Little did I know that all of this would eventually lead to my living and working there for two years. From 1989 to 1991 I served as a volunteer nurse practitioner with the Church of the Brethren at a clinic in Managua and also on the Atlantic (Mosquito) coast. It was a life transforming experience which led me on my return to the US to leave my home in the suburbs and to live in the inner city of Philadelphia. I have lived and worked in North Philadelphia ever since in a poor, underserved and mostly Spanish speaking community.
In addition, I joined a nonprofit group called Medicines for Nicaragua which supports the clinic in Managua where I used to work. We raise money to pay the salaries of the Nica staff, purchase medications, provide pap tests, and work with local groups on potable water and other public health projects. Every year since my return to the US, I have visited "mi pais segundo" to see old friends and to check on our various projects there.
My two years at the Yale School of Nursing not only gave me a new and satisfying career but even more importantly, a new set of values and priorities which have deeply enriched my life.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Theona Leonard Andersen '45W
Theona Leonard Andersen '45W sent in this story by way of her daughter. Theona's story:
"Ours was a World War Two class and this seemed to affect every phase of our training. We felt we were part of the 'war effort' because we were caring for the families and friends of our service men. So we worked hard -- and grew tired.
Perhaps this is why a classmate of mine, working at night in the nursery, absentmindedly boiled up every single one of the nursery thermometers. The head nurse just said, 'these things happen' and ordered replacements.
As some of us remember, hospital routines were different than those today. Night duty nurses sterilized (autoclaved or boiled up) a lot of things. This could be rather tiring particularly in the hot summers. (All of us thought it deplorable that every bar had air conditioning but hospitals did not.)
At the end of our first year, seventy registered nurses left New Haven Hospital to go to the South Pacific. After this our class pretty much ran the hospital on evening and night shifts. Retired graduate nurses would come in to care for extremely ill patients and they were incredibly good nurses. Businessmen from town volunteered to act as orderlies during evenings and nights, and they were a wonderful help.
One night, a classmate and I were on duty in a ward full of elderly patients. My classmate went out with a cart in the darkened ward to collect drinking glasses to be washed and returned. When she got back I heard her say 'Oh! No!' Right in the middle of the cart were dentures in a glass, and we had been told over and over to be very careful of dentures.
Just then, a patient put on her light and I went to see what was needed. 'Nurse! I can't find my false teeth,' she said. Thankfully I replied 'I'll bring them to you right away.'
Another night I was alone on a small ward full of elderly men. The night supervisor came and told me the invasion of France had started. My patients slept rather poorly, so as they would wake up I'd whisper the news to them. The rest of the night, as I went back and forth, I would hear these men whispering prayers for our Service Men, as I was also.
We have always been proud of the fact that in spite of rationing and shortages and things like the whole east coast (and many miles inland) being 'blacked out' at night to protect shipping -- no lights anywhere -- we always managed to give good patient care. The bedside stands may have been dusted infrequently, but we always tried to give the best patient care possible."
Thanks to Theona for that great account, and to her daughter, Martha, for taking the time to send it in.
"Ours was a World War Two class and this seemed to affect every phase of our training. We felt we were part of the 'war effort' because we were caring for the families and friends of our service men. So we worked hard -- and grew tired.
Perhaps this is why a classmate of mine, working at night in the nursery, absentmindedly boiled up every single one of the nursery thermometers. The head nurse just said, 'these things happen' and ordered replacements.
As some of us remember, hospital routines were different than those today. Night duty nurses sterilized (autoclaved or boiled up) a lot of things. This could be rather tiring particularly in the hot summers. (All of us thought it deplorable that every bar had air conditioning but hospitals did not.)
At the end of our first year, seventy registered nurses left New Haven Hospital to go to the South Pacific. After this our class pretty much ran the hospital on evening and night shifts. Retired graduate nurses would come in to care for extremely ill patients and they were incredibly good nurses. Businessmen from town volunteered to act as orderlies during evenings and nights, and they were a wonderful help.
One night, a classmate and I were on duty in a ward full of elderly patients. My classmate went out with a cart in the darkened ward to collect drinking glasses to be washed and returned. When she got back I heard her say 'Oh! No!' Right in the middle of the cart were dentures in a glass, and we had been told over and over to be very careful of dentures.
Just then, a patient put on her light and I went to see what was needed. 'Nurse! I can't find my false teeth,' she said. Thankfully I replied 'I'll bring them to you right away.'
Another night I was alone on a small ward full of elderly men. The night supervisor came and told me the invasion of France had started. My patients slept rather poorly, so as they would wake up I'd whisper the news to them. The rest of the night, as I went back and forth, I would hear these men whispering prayers for our Service Men, as I was also.
We have always been proud of the fact that in spite of rationing and shortages and things like the whole east coast (and many miles inland) being 'blacked out' at night to protect shipping -- no lights anywhere -- we always managed to give good patient care. The bedside stands may have been dusted infrequently, but we always tried to give the best patient care possible."
Thanks to Theona for that great account, and to her daughter, Martha, for taking the time to send it in.
Marianne H. Lewis '80
This update comes to us from Marianne H. Lewis '80. Marianne writes:
"Three nurses of the psychiatric class [of 1980] have been meeting a minimum of once a year, but often twice a year. We are as close now as we've been in class and often our conversation centers around issues of psychiatry. My two friends work: Gloria teaches nursing, Joanie works for the VA, and I, Marianne, am retired, having reached nearly 90 years of age. (I was always the oldest in our class! I graduated at 59 years old!) Our friendship is as close now as it has always been and we often thank Yale for bringing us together."
Below is a picture that Marianne sent in of herself (center), Joanie (left), and Gloria (right).
"Three nurses of the psychiatric class [of 1980] have been meeting a minimum of once a year, but often twice a year. We are as close now as we've been in class and often our conversation centers around issues of psychiatry. My two friends work: Gloria teaches nursing, Joanie works for the VA, and I, Marianne, am retired, having reached nearly 90 years of age. (I was always the oldest in our class! I graduated at 59 years old!) Our friendship is as close now as it has always been and we often thank Yale for bringing us together."
Below is a picture that Marianne sent in of herself (center), Joanie (left), and Gloria (right).
Monday, May 4, 2009
Joan Bliss Mennie '46W
Joan Bliss Mennie '46W (the "W" indicates one of the additional classes admitted to YSN during the war years of 1943-1945, when there was a national need for more nurses) sends this message for the blog:
"The 28 months in the war years defined my thoughts and activities for a lifetime. Thank you for your gifts of knowledge, service, and relationships."
"The 28 months in the war years defined my thoughts and activities for a lifetime. Thank you for your gifts of knowledge, service, and relationships."
Friday, May 1, 2009
Eleanor Hoffman Grunberg '46
This story is from Eleanor Hoffman Grunberg '46:
"The years at YSN will always be special since I have such amazing memories while I was a student. Assigned to the Isolation Ward, I was told that the patient -- a graduate student -- had a miserable temperament. Although he was somewhat polite to me while I was caring for him, in time the annoyances he presented were more than I could tolerate. I then very purposely cut my finger a little -- but enough to have me transferred to another floor. The next rotation was Dermatology Clinic and who should be the 'doctor' in charge but my former annoying patient. This time his personality had improved -- no doubt because he had recovered from what ailed him before. The next logical step, of course, was that we dated and then eventually got married. I like to say with a straight face that I met my husband in bed! He was such a miserable patient -- but a fine man."
"The years at YSN will always be special since I have such amazing memories while I was a student. Assigned to the Isolation Ward, I was told that the patient -- a graduate student -- had a miserable temperament. Although he was somewhat polite to me while I was caring for him, in time the annoyances he presented were more than I could tolerate. I then very purposely cut my finger a little -- but enough to have me transferred to another floor. The next rotation was Dermatology Clinic and who should be the 'doctor' in charge but my former annoying patient. This time his personality had improved -- no doubt because he had recovered from what ailed him before. The next logical step, of course, was that we dated and then eventually got married. I like to say with a straight face that I met my husband in bed! He was such a miserable patient -- but a fine man."
Ruth Benson Timothy '74
This update comes from Ruth Benson Timothy '74, celebrating her 35th YSN Reunion this year:
"After Yale School of Nursing, I went on to get a teaching degree from Southern Connecticut State University. Then I began teaching health education in the Hamden School System, which was a great experience. I have been so blessed with having had the opportunity to attend so many wonderful universities in my own neighborhood, as I have lived in Hamden all my life. I do hope all my classmates are doing well."
Ruth will be unable to attend Reunion this year, but wishes to say "Hi!" to all her classmates.
"After Yale School of Nursing, I went on to get a teaching degree from Southern Connecticut State University. Then I began teaching health education in the Hamden School System, which was a great experience. I have been so blessed with having had the opportunity to attend so many wonderful universities in my own neighborhood, as I have lived in Hamden all my life. I do hope all my classmates are doing well."
Ruth will be unable to attend Reunion this year, but wishes to say "Hi!" to all her classmates.
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