Growing up in the small community of the Redwood Coast with rainy filled days and residents passing the day by enjoying the nature that surrounds us and focusing on their own journeys. This was one I would not trade for anything.
I grew up in a family that was separated, half a week with a dad who was going to school for his nursing degree, working as a volunteer firefighter and taking care of three elementary and teenage daughters. The other half of the week was …show more content…
To me, medicine is modeled on a whole encompassing person, who has their own life story, emotions, challenges, and victories coming to you at their rawest moment asking for help. This is a vulnerable moment for them and they are coming to you not only for medical care but for someone who can reflect with them and empathize with them to get them back to their best selves. For some this may be hard to understand but when you have experienced this first hand it gives you another perspective not only on the delicacy of life, but on the availability of medical care especially in a rural community and how that drastically affects the outcomes of families and how we can improve it. When I think of patient care and advocacy, I think of my grandmother, Rita, who passed away last year. She was one of my biggest supporters in every realm of life, even through the trials and tribulations our relationship faced. Although my last memories of being with her still bring tears of loss, love and peace. In these moments I think about how I would look at her face with deep reflection not only to remember the wrinkles filled with wisdom, the cheeks that would turn red when we would laugh together, the glistening of her eyes from the brightness of our short time together, and the warmth of her soul, but to also reflect on the hardships she experienced and how she was able to soon be at rest on her own accord. It was at this moment that I felt compelled in my soul to create these moments of peace, acceptance, and appreciation for families through connection, education in medicine and disease and most importantly, patience. Speaking and interacting with my grandmother's physicians as a mere stranger met with such grace and willingness to work together for the best outcome for my grandmother made me feel compelled to allow other families to experience this. To further my interest and