I graduated in 1966 from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Travels took me to visiting Europe and working in the 97th General Hospital in Frankfort, Germany. There I worked in pediatrics.
I came back to the US to marry and have children. While caring for my children I worked part-time in pediatrics and teaching students in Associate Nursing Degree programs. I was encouraged to obtain my master’s in teaching, graduated with a Master of Arts in Education from Teachers College Columbia University. I worked in various hospitals specializing in medical surgical nursing. When I entered home health in the 80’s I gravitated to end of life care.
I quickly progressed up the executive ladder in home health administration becoming expert in computerization and reduction of days outstanding of receivables. I was the recipient of several bonuses for my 28 days outstanding. My motto for management was “keep it short and simple.” I was a master at reducing expenses and moved into consulting home health agencies to become compliant with government regulations and achieve Joint Commission Accreditation.
Tired of the administrative politics I joined with a partner to open a six-bed residential care for the elderly in San Clemente, CA for three years. We recruited volunteers to help us take our residents out for lunch or movies. It was a rewarding experience but became unbearable due to the inability to find caregivers measuring our standards. We closed the facility and went back to the bedside.
I became a hospice nurse for a second time in 2001 and have been in hospice and palliative care since. My mentors were the physician medical directors. I also had a supervisor who taught me to use a palliative symptom management book. Every time I came back to the office after seeing my five patients, she made me review this book for insight into treating my dying patients symptoms. Unfortunately, the focus on money, the reduction yearly in Medicare reimbursement and the increase in regulations prohibits this kind of mentoring.
It was there with the mentoring of Melvin Stirling MD and Lois Bechtel I submitted a hospice article to the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care on end of life care for patients with borderline personality disorder.
The local chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society needed new members. I joined along with other hospice nurses and evolved into serving on the board and becoming President of the local chapter. Learning about oncology and treatments for cancer gives me an additional perspective when evaluating the use of cannabis to treat symptoms.
Due to my chronic back pain it became difficult getting in and out of the car and climbing stairs. Finally in my early 70’s I decided to retire. I now work part time in-home infusion. It was the progressive deterioration of my spine that led me to study cannabis. I was taking forty mg of morphine. It was excellent for managing my pain, but I would not be able to work with the side effects. I was able to successfully replace my morphine and Norco with cannabis.
Of course being a nurse I was not going to take this marijuana without studying it. I had always voted NO on all legislation for marijuana. When I found the science behind marijuana and the endocannabinoid system, I was shocked and angry that the government has kept this information from the American people. Being an educator I focused on teaching and consulting patients nurses doctors and the public on safe use of this plant’s history of treating people for over 5000 years.
I frequently published articles on health and palliative care in local papers where I resided. ie the Sun Post in San Clemente, CA. and currently publish my articles for the Cannabis Corner in CVWeekly every other week.
I also write poetry with the Wordkeepers of Rancho Mirage Library. Welcome to my website. I hope you will find it entertaining.