I Came, I Saw (Veni, Vidi): More Than a Memoir

This book is my story. It is about what I did, saw, felt, learned, loved, hated, and accomplished during my lifetime. As I review my life I think of now versus then, compared to what my parents said then, and what I believe now. I go back and forth in my lifetime in order to demonstrate or accentuate the internal feelings I had at the time or what I think about it now. I digress a few times because of what the issue or event helped me to recall. Sometimes I am very critical, even mean as I become angry now or recall my anger then about certain events, people or issues. No apologies for that. I call it ‘Veni, Vidi’ because I came and I saw. There is no ‘Vici’ because I conquered nothing. I state that it is ‘more than a memoir’ because I found myself attempting to do some education and stating opinions more than once, because that is the way I am. I tell a few powerful stories regarding intensive care nursing. There is a lot on Catholicism and how I refuse it. I divulge my experiences with men - tune in. I describe my feelings while my brother was dying. I share my knowledge of and experiences in nursing, safety and accident prevention, ergonomics, and six sigma quality. I think about what I did and the incentives and influences I had to get me here. Where is here, anyhow? Well, it is being retired. It is being able to sit on my couch and write a book. I am so fortunate. In the last few days at work someone asked me if I was going to work per diem. I said, “No, no. Carpe diem, not per diem.” In preparing for retirement I created an Excel worksheet with my budget. It includes my income of three pensions, Social Security, and funds I have saved. I calculated a 20-year budget with 300% increase in the cost of living going forward. I realized “I can do this.” But, and a big but, at the age of 87 I will have to be shot by a jealous 40-year old wife (yes, 40 years old) or be hit by a beer truck. One of those Bud Ice blue beauties, I hope. The challenges continue.