September 2021

August Count Down to Reunion 10 Months

 10 short months and we’ll be seeing each other again! June 2021 was the cut-off date we originally set for sending us a recent photo and update on what you’ve done since graduation so we could develop a musical slide presentation that we’re calling Nursing Narratives Post 1972. If you are one of the 22 classmates who has responded, a huge thank you for helping us to reveal the richness of our collective lives since 1972.

Marlene Myers Hill’s high school class did a musical slide presentation at their 50^th reunion. She said, after seeing it at their reunion, some of her high school classmates expressed their disappointment that they hadn’t participated because it was such an amazing overview of their class.  Consequently, we’re making one final request to see if we can persuade more of our nursing classmates to participate for our 50^th reunion. You’ve previously seen Geraldine Norman’s submission and we have now attached Marlene’s as one further example.

We hope that you’ll be inspired to send your picture and update once you have idea of the range of what our classmates submitted. The new extended deadline is September 6^th which is exactly 49 years since we graduated. We’d especially like to have updates from those of you who are unable to attend so that you too can be an important part of our 50^thcelebrations. We’re anticipating finding a method of privately sharing the slide presentation electronically with those unable to attend.

At our 20^th Reunion Mrs. Wright remarked what an extraordinary class we were. Imagine how impressed she would be now with the range of wonderful life experiences our narratives tell. Some of us have had the privilege of  spending our entire career at The Moncton Hospital in many various capacities. Some of us left nursing for other professions or to raise our families. Many of us worked in Extramural Hospital, Public Health, physician’s offices, prisons, occupational settings, education and research. Many of us have retired, some retired only to find “it didn’t take” and a small number have decided retirement is still ahead for them.

Prior to Covid-19 many of us spent our winters in warmer climates, travelled to various parts of the world and enjoyed RVing in various parts of Canada and the US. Some of us have developed interesting hobbies including gardening, quilting, Dragon Boating, painting, genealogy etc. 

Our narratives also are a blend of our joys and sorrows. Our class has a spectrum of personal relationships including marriage, divorce, widowhood, second marriage, and intentionally single. Some of us had only children while others had several and some of us are fortunate enough to also have stepchildren and children-in-law. Grandchildren have blessed our lives in many different ways as have cherished pets.

We’ve had classmates experience the heart break of losing a spouse, child or grandchild and those who have conquered or are living with cancer, heart disease or chronic health conditions. Some of us have had to adjust to the challenges of  less than perfect hearing, hip or knee replacements, insertion of cardiac stents, use of mobility aids as canes or walkers etc. In the midst of all of those life altering events we’ve developed a joyous sense of resilience and found a source of support in the close ties we developed at MHSN .

When the slide presentation is “released” on June 12, 2022, you’ll see how our narratives form a collective tapestry profoundly influenced by our time at MHSN. The music we’ve chosen for the slide presentation reflects the very close bonds we formed as students and have maintained as alumnae: You’ve Got a Friend – Carole King & James Taylor, We Will have These Moments to Remember – Statler Brothers, Friends with You– John Denver, Lean on Me – Bill Withers, John Legend & Stevie Wonder and finally Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon & Garfunkel.

Now that our reunion is within 10 months we’re adding a new section to our monthly communication. We will be ending each email with a Dates to Remember section.