Ann’s Work in Surgery

Ann’s entry into the work force greatly improved our economic situation.  Most of Ann’s educational expenses were covered by grants, but Elliott was in his second year of college, and we were trying to make do on one income, which wasn’t really adequate to cover all of our expenses.  When Ann started to work we were actually able to buy new towels.  The old ones had become pretty threadbare. 

Ann soon adapted to her new role at St. Luke’s hospital.  Throughout most of her work with the hospital she served as a circulating nurse.  She also discovered a ministry opportunity that we had not anticipated.  From time to time church members and friends had surgery at St. Luke’s.  I would often go to the hospital to sit with families as they awaited the outcome of the operation.   Since Ann had access to the O.R. suite, she was often able to come to the waiting room and report on the progress of the patient.  She would even go the hospital on her day off, put on her scrubs and stay in the O.R. suite until the surgery was over.

Ann spent about ten years working at the St. Luke’s O. R.  For awhile she was the head of surgical nursing, but that proved to be an unsatisfactory relationship.  When her mother developed a terminal illness, she gave up the supervisory position.   Nevertheless, she remained busy throughout that time.   She frequently took call, and would sometimes be called out in the middle of the night.  Once in a while she worked a double shift.   One year she got called to come in on New Year’s Eve although she was not on call.   They had an emergency surgery situation at the hospital, and the person in charge of scheduling was desperate.  When she called she told Ann, “You’re the first person I’ve talked to, who was sober.”   Ann left in the middle of our New Year’s Eve celebration to help with surgery.  That was the way our lives often went in the eighties.