Unfortunately the travel back to Milwaukee was rough. New security regulations! Full pat down. But I am home safe and sound..........and back to work.

The morning ceremony included all 560 graduates from MU.

I spoke at the Graduation for the College of Nursing students in the afternoon.

Here is my speech: 

Dean Callahan, Faculty members, family, friends and fellow graduates, today is a day to be thankful, and to be inspired.

We have much so to be thankful for. We are thankful for our families. Earning any degree requires time away from one’s family. Our families have made sacrifices of time and other resources to give us the freedom to get this education and the degrees that represent it. They also have supported us along the way, often when we had little to give back in return. So thank you, families. What we receive today is yours, too.

We students also must thank each other, because in our time here at Marquette we have become each other’s extended family, and we have benefitted from the insight, kindness and support, of each other. Thank you, our extended families. We worked together on projects, and in study groups, and our accomplishment today owes much to our collaborating with each other.

Above all we owe thanks to the faculty here at the Marquette University College of Nursing, from whom we have received an outstanding education, thanks to the specifically Jesuit tradition of service to others, which grounds the curriculum. We have learned by their example and direct experience in our coursework, and in the research and education practicums. You have lifted us up when we needed it, and have brought us down to earth when we needed it—we’re supposed to be thankful for that, too, right? Thank you, faculty, for being a source of learning and wisdom, and for being models that inspire.

Thanks to our cumulative experience here at Marquette we are well prepared to enter, or continue in, the noble profession of nursing—what is noble if not caring for the health needs of God’s children? But our profession, like God’s children, is constantly changing. Today we are prepared to be both participants and leaders in the change.

For there will be work to do.

Fast-paced changes are coming upon us, as we work to keep up with improvements in technology aimed at keeping patients safer. Some recent changes include bar-coding of medications, electronic health records, and a raft of new policies and procedures to go along with all the changes.

The future of the discipline of Nursing includes a predicted nursing shortage, which will impact how we deliver care. There will be fewer of us, we will have more to do, more to learn, and a larger and more complex population to serve. We will have to be smart, and get smarter. Our future will include incorporating new technology, but we will also be called upon to not lose focus on the patient perspective of health and illness experience. And as we succeed we will paradoxically be asked to succeed even more. The better we get, the better we’d better get.

Our Marquette education prepares us to participate and lead in the effort to assess the supports that are truly supportive for patients and families. We will remember to incorporate the knowledge we have acquired about important concepts such as self-management, health literacy, health risks, end-of-life care, health promotion, prevention programs for obesity, and programs that will help families cope.

Thank you families and Marquette, for getting us this far. We will always think of you as we go farther.

 by John McCrae (1915)

 In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

 ________________________________________________________________________________

When I was a child my dad, a WWII vet, taught me this poem. I still remember him getting up on Nov. 11th every year, putting on his Irish Regiment hat , Legion jacket and war medals and going to march in the Remembrance day parade. The parade ended at the Weston War Memorial pictured below.

My dad died in 2004 at the age of 84  years old. I think about him the most on the holidays, and on Remembrance day. Rest in peace dad. We miss you.

My friend Karen and I ran the Toronto Marathon on Sunday October 18th. Here's a recap:

 
Vendredi: Bienvenue au Canada. 
  
Our weekend began with an Air Canada flight to Toronto from ORD. We arrived in Toronto at 8 pm EST., squeezed our luggage into the back seat of a Toyota Yaris and headed for the highway. First stop was my Mother’s house for a visit and delicious food. Next stop, brother Tom’s house for wine tasting (3 wines, 4 cheeses). Then it was off to the hotel. We checked in to the Sheraton Centre hotel downtown and were in bed 1 am EST.  
 
Samedi: Takin’ it to the streets
 
We got up at 8 am and headed for Starbucks before the expo (which was located in our hotel). Although it was not a large expo, it was entertaining because of the exhibitors. There were many booths and many characters. My favorite booth was “jacked on juice”. The salesman “jack” was tauting acai berry “all natural” juice. He was a hockey player and was quite jacked about the juice.

Then there was the booth for the Whitby International Marathon. International? Whitby?

Then there was the psyching team booth. At this booth, PhD psychologists met with us to discuss our psychological approach to the race. We were given “scripts” and self-affirming mantras to recite when the going got tough in the race. We also got a safety pin and orange ribbon to pin on as a reminder of the scripts. Race bag SWAG included a shirt, and a book called 26.2.

After the expo, we decided to go over to the CN tower. It was sunny and the views were far. Tourists from around the world spoke many languages around us.  

After our CN tower adventure we were hungry to it was off to Tim Hortons for soup. While sipping our soup in the heart of down town, a street-person asked Karen for “money for the bus”. We walked back to our hotel and saw people sleeping over the steamy street grates. Sad.

From Tim Hortons we returned the hotel to get ready for the Opera. My brother and sister in law met us in the lobby and we walked over to the Canadian Opera House. Prior to the opera we had champagne in the President’s Council lounge—and met the Alexander Neef, the general director of the opera. Our seats were in the Royal box, 1^st row center. Intermission brought more champagne and chats with my brother and sister-in-law's friends/collegues.

Dinner was awesome—we went to a place called Sotto Sotto- had 2 plates of antipasto, and pasta. My brother's treat. We were in bed by 10:30 and slept like babies. This is one of the only times I have ever slept before a marathon.
 
Dimanche: Race day
 
We awoke at 6 am, and drank coffee. At 6:50 we thought—better get ready and were out to the door to the shuttle bus in front of the hotel. In line we met some locals. We got to the start at 8:30. Gun went off at 9.

The course was quite challenging as it was rolling hills. My brother and sister in- law cheered us on at mile 6. At mile 10, we ran past the screaming high school girls at Bishop Strahn High School.

Next we ran around Casa Loma. The course took us through Rosedale Valley Road Ravine which was ablaze with fall colors. The course wound through down town, past St. Lawrence market, the flat iron building, and harbourfront before taking us the lakefront.

The weather was a perfect 50 degrees with a light wind.

We ran through the ”inflatable “wall” back along lakefront.  

The last couple miles uphill on University Ave. to Queen’s park .....…I was reciting the mantras and the scripts, and rubbing the little orange ribbon on the safety pin…….....but it was not working! Last mile was torture. The finish line area was efficient and the finisher’s medal was huge! My time was 4:05.

Time to think positive thoughts about a tough finish. I smiled as I saw my movie critic nephew “Will” at the finish line---he gave me a high 5…….. My first Canadian marathon was over eh. What a relief!

Now it was time to meet-up with Karen---When I saw her she was limping….oh oh.   Limping progressed to needing a wheelchair at the airport. Our flight home was uneventful. No troubles at customs. No interrogations. I got to drive Karen’s Mercedes back to Milwaukee from O’Hare as her driving foot is out of commission. 

We had a blast and I am sad our weekend is over. I always say that I will never run another marathon after each one of these.......but somehow I always end up signing up again. I do enjoy them I guess. I especially enjoyed sharing the weekend with Karen. It was her first trip to Canada and I was proud to share her friendship with my family.

Here we are before the race. We ran the 26.2 miles in 3:20, which was good enough for 2nd of 45 female teams and 8/85 teams in the event. Thanks go out to both Karen for signing us up back in March, and Mary for inspiring Karen and I to train so hard this summer. Mary's marathon PR is 3:14.

L to R: Karen, me, Mary

Next, is a picture of my running friends after the race.

Top row L to R : Jim S., Jim A., Greg, Chuck.

Middle row: Karen D. , Karen W. , Gerta, me.

Front Row: Jim W., Mary, Don, Duane, Kevin, Dennis.

I am looking forward to completing the PhD. It was a lot of work to get to this point. Thanks go out to my committee and supportive family and friends.

Wish me luck!