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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)