Patti Bailey:  

I think this part of my life above all else would probably surprise everyone or most everyone at my High School reunion.. Mostly because I think many thought of me as funny or a clown and never probably thought of me as having a stressed day. I think because I smiled a lot in school they probably figured I probably dodged the bad day thing and that is not true. I mostly loved to go to school to dodge many a bad things that went on at home or around the home and to me school was a vacation, so graduation was a bit depressing for me. I did want to go to BOCES for Nursing but my Counselor told me why should I bother that I would start a family anyway and wouldn't need the job, so I could use the cosmetology to cut the kids hair. And so that is exactly what I said to the teachers at the Boces that september for cosmetology because I was upset not getting into the Nursing school. After High School, I had started a family, went to college and went on to become a Registered Nurse after a failed marriage. (I did one better an RN rather than the LPN) Because I had many times when I thought studying for tests and taking on being a single mom of two while being in college I found solace in church and often thought that praying may be the only thing that would help me keep the strength and sanity needed to get my RN license and my Great Aunt. My first job I took after becoming an RN was working in a Motherhouse taking care of the aged and dying Nuns. I basically worked in a Convent. Many people found that to be a bit of an interesting part of my life and it was, and still is. Someone from my church pointed out the job opening to me in the dhurch bulleten and I thought I should give it a shot. They were a bit confused why I would take a loss in pay, I wasn't confused though, I felt it was my way of thanking all those that gently helped me in my time of need from the church when I needed it most. I remember the first week working there and my old Principal from St Kilians school was in now and then to check up on me.. She was basically one of my references in getting the job and she would be one of the biggest reasons why I was one of the best nurses there. She was a principal I got to know very well in school. She had grown out of her job as a principal in to now the prioress of all the nuns. And I had grown up from her school to graduate from college and become an RN to be taking care of Nuns, her peers. I think if there is something many would never have believed about me is, that I spent many years in a convent not long out of College, and that my older two daughters used to come to barbeques there, my oldest daughter would play her violin for the Nuns, and volunteer in other ways making the Nuns smile to see their little faces. I used to put them on a cart and wheel them around with me on rounds and they would help me put things out and get them ready for the rounds. My director of nursing didn't mind if there was bring your daughter to work day because one or the other during the summer was missing mommy and wanted to come along and she would allow for one of them to go to sleep in one of the private rooms that was opened so they had a room to lay down and sleep, or just to color, watch tv, or feel like they were in their own little hotel room. They loved it. I loved it too because I would check on them on rounds all through the night too after they finally fell asleep. There was nothing more beautiful or meaningful to me than during work when I felt so stressed than to be there with the nuns. They always knew the right thing to say or do and it always helped me get through the day. One day because it was flu season and so many things were just going wrong that I wasn't sure I would make it through the day, a very sweet and sympathetic nun coming around this one particular Sunday with the Holy Eucharist and very quickly came up to me and asked me if I needed to receive communion..rather than wait for my answer she answered for me by saying, you look like you need it, and then continued on and popped the Eucharist in my mouth before I could get another word out. She had me receiving communion in the middle of the hall with adult diapers, rags, soap, extra johnnie coats in hand. It was at that moment I finally found the real definition for "unable to speak", until I had the Holy Wafer out of my mouth, the nun waited there and in that short time as if it were the "count to 10" before you react thing.. I did feel calmer than i did, because she in her way demanded that quick time out, even though I was so busy. She showed me you can find peace in the midst of panic, and God in the midst of anywhere. I found peace, God, and a place that in a way I will hold close to my heart forever, the convent, my fir...Expand for more