Meg Reese – Fighting The Waves of Nursing School

Claudia Henock 0:02
Hi everyone, welcome to Your Most Precious Thing, the show that talks about the stories behind the items we hold near and dear to our hearts. I am your host, Claudia Henock, and let’s meet our guest for this week.

Claudia Henock 0:16
Just as a heads up before we continue, my guest does talk about almost drowning in the ocean, so if that is a tough topic to listen to, I will see you next episode.

Claudia Henock 0:26
During a very stormy night during a campus beach retreat, Meg Reese went into the water to save one of her classmates. After surviving the turbulent waves and making it to a local hospital in Virginia Beach, Virginia, a chance encounter with a pair of local nurses reinforced her decision to keep pursuing nursing as a career. Since then, Reese has become an RN who has worked at six different surgery centers on both coasts of the US.

Claudia Henock 0:49
Hi, Meg, welcome to Your Most Precious Thing, and I’m so excited for you to be on this episode today. How’s it going?

Meg Reese 0:55
It’s going pretty well, Claudia. Thank you very much for having me as a guest on your podcast. I’m really excited to be here and converse with you on the subject.

Claudia Henock 1:02
Same here, and so let’s start with the question of the hour. What would you consider your most precious thing?

Meg Reese 1:09
I would say my most precious thing was this pair of scrubs that I got when I was at Virginia Beach when I was back in college.

Claudia Henock 1:17
Wait, you got the scrubs in Virginia Beach? To give more context, Meg and I actually went to college together in Arlington, Virginia. So I’m actually kind of curious about this Virginia Beach scrub story, actually. Can you tell more about it, Meg?

Meg Reese 1:30
I would be happy to Claudia. So back in college, she and I went to a religious school, even though neither of us share the religion of the school that it was founded in. Me and a bunch of other students went on this beach trip to Virginia Beach, it was more of a retreat. And that day, it was very windy. And there were a lot of rip current warnings, which we’ll get to go into more detail. Basically, when we went to this beach, we were on the beach, and you know, the tide was kicking up, and I knew to stay out of the water. Unfortunately, one of my classmates got swept out, and I know what you’re thinking, “Meg, what does this have to do with a pair of Scrubs?” Well, all in time, you will hear how it all connects.

Meg Reese 2:13
When I went out to try to help this classmate, I myself got swept out in the ocean, it was pretty scary. But I ended up fighting the waves, trying to tread water, and basically stay afloat and stay alive. Fifteen minutes went by, and long story short with the water story, was I was brought to shore very short of breath. And they brought me to the hospital to make sure I didn’t inhale any water. And I was just juiced out, I was exhausted.

Meg Reese 2:44
So at the hospital, I remember waking up in the hospital, because after a scary incident like that, all of your adrenaline just was at play, and it was very hard to try to stay awake. So I woke up in the hospital with a priest next to me, and he was with the our retreat, and he said you almost drowned. And a big part I left out was I was in school to become a nurse myself. And at the hospital, we had wonderful nurses there that were helping me. And I had this one nurse who took one look at me and said, “How are you holding up?” I said, “I am very exhausted.” And she said, “You know, I feel like you may need some comfortable clothes. What do you do for a living?” And I said, “Well, I’m a student.” She’s like, What are you going to major in? Or what are you going to do with your life when you’re done? I said, “I want to be a nurse,” I looked her dead in the eye. And she said, “That is very interesting,” because she was also a nurse. So we met at the hospital in the most unlikely way.

Meg Reese 3:44
But when I got to the hospital, I was not only very cold, I was still wearing my bathing suit. I didn’t really have any clothes. I just went from bathing suit to ER, with my bathing suit still on. So, another nurse came in because they were covering each other, and she did not know I was in nursing school. I remember pushing the call light, but I really really needed to step out to use the restroom. So I had all the monitors on me, so I knew how to disengage the monitors and take everything off and then reconnect myself. The nurse came looking for me and my bed was empty. The priest said she’ll be right back. And when I got back to the room, she saw that I was there and I was all hooked up again. And the nurse who was filling in said, “How did you know to do that?” And I said I’m in nursing school. And she said, “I think I might have just the thing for you.” And she left and then came back with a very surgical green pair of scrubs. And at that moment she said, “You don’t even have to get these back. You can keep them.” Yeah, what do you think of the story so far, Claudia?

Claudia Henock 4:51
I think that’s really cool. At that time when you had to go to the hospital, did you have any doubts of becoming a nurse at that time?

Meg Reese 5:00
Yes, and when I was fighting those waves, I felt like as if I was fighting through school, like there was a symbolic message to it. Nursing School was extremely freakin hard. It was very challenging. I would give up a lot, I gave up a dating life, I gave up a good amount of social life, under the exception of hanging out with some wonderful friends, and you were one of those amazing friends that I got to hang out with. So I’m grateful that we have stayed in touch all this time, even after and fighting the waves, I just realized is this nursing school, And do the scrubs symbolize me becoming a nurse later? As far as realizing the meaning behind these scrubs, I was discharged from the hospital wearing these scrubs. And when we got back to the beach house, myself and three other students that almost drowned, were applauded. We walked in and they formed a line and they just started clapping. Someone in the back said, “They’re not dead!”

Claudia Henock 6:00
That would been a very strange reaction if things happened differently, though, because it does sound something that’s really, really terrifying.

Meg Reese 6:08
Absolutely right, Claudia. And it was something that wasn’t only symbolic, but it ended up being super important because I realized that no fight for anything you want. If it’s anything reputable, if it’s anything that’s noble, it will not be easy, and it’s not supposed to be. Fighting the waves wasn’t easy, and going through nursing school was an easy so the scrubs mean a lot to me. Because they symbolize that there is a reason to keep fighting the waves, there was a reason to keep fighting the waves of nursing school. And the scrubs represent me becoming a nurse, me succeeding, and me following my dream and helping other people. And to this day, I still remember the story and what those scrubs mean to me, and I know that’s your big question.

Claudia Henock 6:56
And I think that’s always something important to keep in mind as well. From the idea that I have this podcast, it’s not just talking about the items that we have in our lives, it’s just talking about the meaning of the stories behind them. The scrubs that you were given, for me, it sounds like a big inspiration to keep going through nursing school. And I know from the first episode did with Aaron, his item was a wallet that he was able to take from his house before his house burned down. And that wallet held the keys for him to get back into normal life. So from what I’ve learned from both my conversation with you and Aaron is some items that we hold close to our lives, it might just be a wallet or a pair of scrubs to someone else. But to you and Aaron, those items tell an important story about yourself.

Meg Reese 7:43
I see exactly your point, Claudia, and I agree 100%, that the symbolism that these like, even though these items may seem so small and so insignificant to one person, they can tell a story. They can tell not only a story of character, but how someone got to become a new version of themselves, and for the better. And so I think that is a great point that you have made with this whole subject on finding these items. And what do they mean? What’s the story behind them? And is the story going to be significant as to bring you through life? And I think the answer to that is yes, with the examples you gave me about your last visitor. And with these pair of scrubs, it’s just very significant. And surface value, it teaches us to look deeper than just the item in front of us. It’s what went with it, the words that were exchanged as I wore it, or as Aaron found that wallet. So it does make a lot of sense with everything you mentioned. And it’s just amazing that something that could be seen as a regular everyday item can have such a great importance. And I thank you for opening my eyes to that and having me on the show with talking about this.

Claudia Henock 8:56
And I appreciate you coming on as well. And are you also still in contact with the nurse that you spoke to even today?

Meg Reese 9:03
That is an excellent question. Unfortunately, no. And I feel even worse to say that I don’t really remember her name. When I was there, I was very, very tired, exhausted because basically I burned through those fight or flight hormones and then my body was zonked out. And when I was going to the restroom, a new nurse was already caring for me, who didn’t know I was in nursing school, and gave me those scrubs. Unfortunately, with the passing of care and just me trying to remember, “Am I still alive? I’m in the hospital!” It was very hard to remember the names. If I’m looking back, I think it was already six years ago, which was shocking, but like your point mentions, that these significant items. I don’t think we’ll ever really forget what they mean to us.

Claudia Henock 9:51
I think in addition to the items, sometimes the connections we make with people, even if they’re completely brief, and we don’t know the person’s name. They’re just as important, sometimes there’s people who have been in your lives for a really long time that you connect with a very long time, or some connections that you have made at one point, then distance away from or just come back together at a later point. And then there’s only people who are in your life or a season. If it’s only for a day, a month, only a few hours, sometimes, depending on how you react to that person that can make a big change with your life. And I think that’s what may have happened with the nurses that you met at the hospital in Virginia Beach.

Meg Reese 10:32
Yes, Claudia. I definitely agree with that. And while I wish I can remember their names, I agree with what you said about even just knowing them for a few minutes, maybe even an hour tops. It was wonderful to see these amazing women who put themselves out there to help other people, especially when the person they’re caring for wants to be doing, what they’re doing. And all the symbolism of what they do. They wore those very scrubs that day, too. And so it felt like when I was there, they were silently adopting me into the profession when I wasn’t even graduated yet. And it was very special to meet them, even for a season, as you mentioned, it was nice to just talk to somebody and to get their insight. And also, for them to give a gesture as a pair of scrubs, as I saw a symbolism as “Welcome, welcome to the profession. And welcome to what we do.”

Claudia Henock 11:29
It’s kind of like, “Hey, here’s a baby nurse, let’s protect her. Let’s protect her as much as we can.”

Meg Reese 11:37
That’s…yes, I felt like they were like, you know, the mama birds. And I was just the hatching egg, like, I am still that species, but I’m not fully grown. I was not a fully grown nurse, I was a student, but nothing…

Claudia Henock 11:55
I know the comparison is kind of a little bit funny. But we do have our moments when sometimes you’re kind of both the baby bird still in the nest, and sometimes you’re the mama bird trying to protect the people around you. You want to protect them as much as you can. Sometimes it’s good to have that type of protection or that camaraderie when it comes to the connections that you make with people as well.

Meg Reese 12:19
Yes, I could not agree more with you, Claudia, especially when it comes to building each other up. And I know we as human beings really need camaraderie, like you mentioned, and we really need guidance. And going back to what you mentioned about the mama bird and the baby bird. Sometimes we’ll have to be in a position where we’re mama bird and other times we’re going to be the baby bird needing more advice, no matter where we are in life. And so with everything from, you know, almost drowning, to going to the hospital, to getting these scrubs, it all sent a silent message of, Y”ay, I did not die that day.”

Meg Reese 12:54
But I did get more insight on how sometimes if you want something badly, you got to fight for it. And when you do what you want to do, and you do it for that when you follow really what is in your heart, and what you really feel like you want that would make you feel like you reached self-actualization. Like the thing you really want to do with your life. It’ll be a battle, but it will be worth it. And those nurses really showed that with open arms with the scrubs. They were mama bird. I was baby bird, like you meant. And it was a great feeling when I got home. And they gave us an applause, you know, for staying alive. So a lot of emotion behind these scrubs, but also an amazing story and amazing journey and amazing symbolism. And I’m glad that we were able to, you know, touch on that.

Claudia Henock 13:49
That’s definitely great to hear as well. And how would you say that the major lesson of just learning to keep fighting for what you want, so how do you bring that knowledge from the experience into your life today? I know as of right now, since graduation, you’ve worked in a different variety of different medical and surgical practices. How do you use lessons that you learned from that day into life that you have now?

Meg Reese 14:13
That is a wonderful question. And I would say with everything I do. I work in a variety of ambulatory practices. I work at three different surgery centers as of now. In the last year, I’ve had five different jobs, and they were all ambulatory. And the reason for that was because I was a contractor nurse. And going back to your question, I use that lesson that these scrubs taught me to go through my day, because with all the moving and all of the different jobs that I was moving to on a short amount of time, I learned that I’m not going to know everything right away. I’m not going to know everything at all, but within the realm of surgical nursing or when I was working out in California and doing Urgent Care, the little aspects of it triaging, like asking patient questions, and ordering them based on how urgent their cases, to starting IVs, to knowing what this medication is for, and when to give it, what to look for, along with all the basics that nursing school taught. So going back to your question, I think it helps me because it made me realize, I will not know everything in these new settings that I’m thrown into. And I’ll just have to remember that it’s always something you want to endure, you want to get better. But the only way to do that is to go through a stage of uncertainty. When I was out in the out ocean, I didn’t think I was going to live. And when I go to work, I’m not sure if I’m going to know every fact about everything I’m doing, especially if it’s new. So it kind of brings the curiosity to am I going to have to learn something new? And if so, good! Will it be easy all the time? Absolutely not. And that’s what those waves taught me. And that’s what that special garment taught me is that with every new job, I know, I’m going to have to fight for an answer, or I’m going to have to make a mistake in order to learn. And that is where I feel like the comparison to the waves in the water and getting the scrubs meets my every day jobs in the many surgery centers I go to.

Claudia Henock 16:21
I think it’s definitely really important to have these type of conversations as well. Because there’s always gonna be some situations where you’re not going to know what to do, or you’re not going to know like, what’s the best type of situation, or the best way to handle it. I don’t come from a medical background, I come from a fashion background. But I think of regardless of what type of environment that you’re in, whether it is in the medical background, whether it is a fashion background, or whether it’s in the podcasting background, I personally think it’s always important to keep learning as well. And just be aware of how situations change.

Meg Reese 16:53
And I also wanted to ask you, with regard to the subject, have you ever seen this in action, just in passing with somebody?

Claudia Henock 17:05
The surviving the waves, or being in a similar situation where you have to just keep fighting for what you want?

Meg Reese 17:14
The second option that you beautifully mentioned.

Claudia Henock 17:17
I believe most people are in a situation similar to the second point, because it kind of depends on what people want. Some people may want to find a love of their life, some people may want to move to a different area, some people may want a certain job, or a certain item, and I think that desire varies from person to person and what they value. Some people might value tickets to see their favorite sports team, another person might value like a really high end piece of designer clothing, so or may just value that higher level job that gives them the prestige, gives them more money, gives them the resources to better support themselves on their family. So I think that desire does vary from person to person, and what they particularly value.

Meg Reese 18:02
I think that’s a wonderful point and going off what you just mentioned, I think that was something that was another key factor in this story. Because back in high school, I had no desire to go to college at all. I was lazy, I was unmotivated, I was just not thinking that the college atmosphere was for me, when I met somebody who got me into anatomy class, and the teacher told me, “Hey, you should go be a nurse, you should go to nursing school”, I said, “I’ll think about it.” And then going through nursing school, going through the process, and enduring those late nights of studying, getting up really early in the morning, not only for class, but to go to clinicals off site, to go to simulation labs that would last around six to eight hours long.

Meg Reese 18:49
It wasn’t just being in the hospital, it was making sure that I kept my schedule that would allow for time for all of these aspects that nursing school faced. And that’s what I kind of was thinking as I was fighting the waves, it’s like I need time to give myself rest so I can paddle again. I need to try to swim to the sides so I can get out. My brain was going off in different ways. And that’s what I was in nursing school too I said, I need to remember to eat. I need to remember to, you know, go to the bathroom. I need to remember to sleep. I need to remember to allow time to get to the clinical site, or get to class, or get to lab, or get to simulation, and all from just this one garment, ideas can branch whether it’s directly related or related by association to this item. And that is something that I learned the hard way when I was physically fighting the ocean, and trying to live, and then I did live. I promised myself, I said I am going to frickin pass nursing school was the last frickin thing I do. And now, today, when you asked about how it applies to my everyday job, sometimes I walk in there, and I am nervous because a lot of these are surgeries that I haven’t done for years previously.

Meg Reese 20:08
And so I made mistakes, nothing that caused any patient any harm, just would cause delays because I wasn’t sure what I was learning. And then I would go ask for help, and I know working with different personality types, sometimes you can get an earful. And sometimes people are more willing. So I feel like even just a conversation with someone who’s trying to understand you can feel like a fight, just like fighting the waves just to get into what you want. And that is for me to be more competent of a nurse. And those scrubs symbolize that I can do it that I can get there. And that I will be accepted into the career. And I really love that question you asked, and that’s why I had to go back to it. So thank you for asking it.

Claudia Henock 20:47
No problem just doing my job. So before we end this episode today, what advice would you have for someone that’s in this type of similar situation? They don’t necessarily have to be like a nursing student, they might be on a fork in the road. What type of advice would you have for that person?

Meg Reese 21:03
Wonderful question. I would say when you are met with adversity, when you are met with a barrier, when you are met with a storm, literally and figuratively, you want to fight through it, there was a saying that you can see something in the road, and you can make a choice. You can just stand there, in which you would not move forward, and then you can make another choice, you can either go around it, you can go over it, or you can go under it. But you also want to do it in a way that preserves you, You want to, sometimes you will get pushed to your limit. And that’s a sign that what you’re fighting for is worth it. So my ultimate advice would be if you see a block in the road, or something that may be slowing you down, do not allow it to slow you down. You got to find another way. For me, in the current, you had to swim to the side, you have to paddle like hell sometimes. But remember to do what is right for you, because everyone’s way of dealing with challenges is different. So, find out who you are, find out what works for you. Remember to take a second and breathe, and remember to brainstorm because it’s not always black and white. But solutions are out there if you just put your mind to it. So all you got to do is fight for what you want. Do it in an honorable way. And in life you’ll do well.

Claudia Henock 22:20
Wow, that’s really amazing to hear.

Meg Reese 22:23
Thank you.

Claudia Henock 22:24
You’re welcome. So before we officially end this episode, do you have, just in case people want to get in contact with you or follow you, do you have any type of social media that people can follow you on?

Meg Reese 22:35
Oh, Claudia, I’m glad you asked. So I am currently on the Snapchat platform as all lowercase @megthenurse1995 with no spaces. If you want to follow me and my shenanigans as a nurse and just as an extroverted introvert, feel free to send me a friend request.

Claudia Henock 22:53
That is awesome. And for people listening to the episode, I will put Meg’s Snapchat information in the show notes as well. And Meg, I just want to say thank you again for being a guest on my show. It’s an honor hearing your story, and it’s a pleasure sharing your story to my audience, so I just want to say thank you.

Meg Reese 23:11
You’re welcome, Claudia. And thank you for your time, expertise, and of course, your hospitality as I am a guest on your wonderful show. And I hope to chat with you again real soon. Thanks for having me.

Claudia Henock 23:23
No problem. And thank you so much.

Meg Reese 23:25
Of course. Thank you and have a good one.

Claudia Henock 23:29
Thank you for listening to this episode of Your Most Precious Thing. You can follow me at @claudiahenock on Instagram and Twitter, as well as Claudia Henock on LinkedIn. You can also follow Your Most Precious Thing through my official website, www.claudiahenock.com, in addition to anywhere where you listen to your podcasts. Intro and Outro Music is Synapse by Shane Ivers, and you can find his music on www.silvermansound.com