How did you decide on your future career?

	How did you decide on your future career? You know there are millions kind of jobs so how did you decide your job or major in your school? Asked By: ni - 5/21/2007

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I was going to the University of Illinios to get a degree in business or communications, advertising. I was so anxious that I grduated highschool at 16yrs and got into Uof I's Early Admission's Program. This was in 1976. Well after learning some basic courses and also learning to party pretty well for two years, I decided to move back to Virginia, where my parents had been transferred back to while I was in college. When I got to Virginia, my summer there before I was to start classes at Virginia Tech in Christiansburg/Blacksburg , I decided to reconnect with some old friends and party the summer away since my parents weren't real thrilled with my grades from Uof I and wanted me to work hard at VA Tech. That summer changed my life in what can be looked at as tragic or as a blessing. I was partying and going out dancing alot with old and new friends, when one night I got separated from my friends at a party where there were mostly people there who were older--in their mid 30's--and we didn't know well. Being 18yrs old, I thought I knew everything about everything since I ha been at college for 2yrs "on my own." I ended up that night being assaulted, raped, and shot at point blank range in my abdomen. The people at the party knew who had been seen with me, and the assault took place at the address where the party was. The s*****g who did it was arrested while I was rushed to the hospital in Roanoke, VA. He pled out and got 37yrs--he served 17yrs. I spent the next 4 months in the hospital and had a total of 5 surgeries. The bullet missed my spine by a 1/4 inch, which would have paralyzed me from the waist down, and it narrowly missed my abdominal aorta, which meant I would have bled out in seconds. I had a colostomy to rest my large intestine and the bullet bounced around and was never removed. I still have it today where it has settled in my left side, near my kidney. The doctors chose not to remove it for whatever reason. The surgeries were to fix the areas where the bullet had nicked and I had a large laparotomy scar left open for a very long time. When they tried to close my colostomy, I was allergic to the sutures, so they had to reopen it for another month. It was a very humbling, humiliating, painful experience for me as well as my family. My father was a very peaceful man, being a veteran with a Purple Heart of WW II, but even he wanted to take out his own justice on the animal who hurt his youngest daughter. He spent every night in my hospital room for the first month. I think that a part of my whole family was relieved that there was no trial. After spending so much time in the hospital, the nurses became my best friends. I was the youngest person on that hospital floor and it got to where some of the nurses would come watch soap operas with me during their lunch breaks. I had THE BEST nurses, doctors, nursing assistants, the whole staff was awesome. They saved my life and kept me--with their friendships and going beyond the call of duty care---from falling into despair mentally. The chief surgeon gave me a talk one day, because he had heard about my wild, partying ways during college, and he had been one of four surgeons to patch me together when they first brought me into the trauma center. He told me to get my act together because I had been given a gift of a second chance. I very well should have been dead or paralyzed for the rest of my life. I loved that man and he died of a heart attack a month before I was released from the hospital for good. While I was a patient in the hospital is when I decided to become an RN. I was so extremely grateful for the nurses and doctors and everybody from housekeeping to the cafeteria who had a hand in my care that I thought, wouldn't it be so neat to have someone feel that way about me one day? So, it was partially a selfish reason that I became an RN. The Nurse Manager of the med-surg floor where I spent four months of my life, wrote me a letter of recommendation to the University of Virginia School of Nursing and that is where I got my BSN. I then went back and worked for 10yrs at the hospital where I had been a patient for so long. I worked in the ICU/CCU units and then transferred to NC, where I worked trauma and flight nurse. All of that happened in 1978-79. It was a horrific experience but I did get a second chance to make something of my life and I am very proud of being an RN. Also, I'll never forget the surgeon who gave me the talk and how he had died of a heart attack. I loved working in the Cardiac Care Unit for 10yrs. and so not only did he give me the "wake up" talk, but he influenced the specialty nursing I chose and loved. I do believe that God saved my behind that night by putting me into the hands of the wonderful staff at the trauma center and hospital. So I hope that it doesn't take something so horrible as an assault and getting shot, to wake up some kids who may be floundering as to what they want to do with their lives. Maybe they need some guidance now from anyone who sees that they may be heading for trouble but don't know how to ask for help. You never know how some words from you may make a big difference in a kid's life. Of course you may get some eye rolling, but it doesn't mean they didn't hear you. Answered By: bboop - 5/27/2007

Additional Answers ()

In High School we were given a test to see where are areas of strength were. I also think that as you mature you recognize things that you like to do. I encourage you to find a job in that area. Making money is a necessity of life however it is a lot easier if you enjoy what you are doing. So, as the say goes....follow your dream and that is where you'll find a job that you are willing to commit to. Answered By: coolmom - 5/28/2007

You follow your hearts desire ,, best of luck... Answered By: beth b - 5/27/2007

The career counselor asked me to think back to second grade and try to remember what i wanted to be back then. If that doesn't help then arrange to take some personality inventory tests at your local junior college through the counseling center. Those tests (Myers-Briggs especially) ask you all kinds of questions and can help you determine what fields you would be best suited for. Helped me a lot. Good luck with your search. Answered By: Gypsianna P - 5/21/2007

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