How do we get where we are at?

Have you ever wondered how you got to where you are in life? How little decisions can change the whole path of who you are and where you are now and where you might be going. Behind the knowing where you are going, is the trail of how you got to where you are now.
Me? I work at a hospital, I get to tell doctors what to do (sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t – that’s their path and I need to stop worrying about what they do). I also create art with tiny little pieces of glass, crystal and thread. How did I get here? Let’s see if I can trail back through my life to the beginning of me. Let’s say to the beginning of the adult me – prior to that, much (but not all) of your life decision are made by your parents.
Beads? I picked up beads because one day at the hospital, one of the doctors came up and showed me how to make earrings. I said to myself “if she can do that…”, the rest is history. Because of the beads, I joined the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild. Because of the guild, I have met some really good friends and instructors who have become friends (Marcia, Janice, Tracy, Cyn, Dot, Sue, Sharon, and so many others). Because of the guild, I met Marcia DeCoster who has become a good friend, a perfect mentor and has pushed me (sometimes kicking and screaming) to become a designer, instructor and mentor to others.

How did I end up at Henry Ford Hospital? While working at a hospital in Pontiac, MI, I became friends with one of the Merck drug company reps – Mark. Mark was a really good guy and told me about a job opening at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. I applied for that job and started working in the infectious diseases clinic. 6 months after working there (and bored), the position opened in the Internal Medicine Residency – again I applied and I was hired.


Lisa, Liz and Dr. Mario Njeim


Alan? Because of a series of less than successful romances, I put in a singles ad in a small rag called “Less Than a 10 Singles” – I received dozens of letters and met 4 of the men. Although Alan started out as bachelor #4, he is #1 right now.

How did I get a job at a hospital? Because I left my first husband (the practice husband) after moving back to Michigan from Germany and I needed a job. A friend told me about an opening at Mount Carmel Mercy Hospital in Detroit and I applied for the position in the Internal Medicine Residency program and was hired. I learned that I love working with doctors – especially residents. After a couple of years, I was transferred to another position due to cut backs and I hated that job. I then applied for, was hired and transferred to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital doing the job that I love – with the boss from Mount Carmel coming there 3 months after I transferred.



Dr. Mayank Shah and I at Mount Carmel Hospital

  I had a military life? Because I married my first husband while he was stationed in Germany, I worked for the military as a civilian. I did love living overseas, and might have stayed if the opportunity presented itself.

My father, myself, Tim and my brother Jim in a Tube stop in London

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

How I met my first husband? Because I went to my 5th year high school (Go Redford) reunion and he sat at a table with all women (okay, he’s not going to pass that opportunity up). My friend Lori told me he was an ass and to ignore him. I never listened to Lori.
How did I go to the reunion with Lori? Because I was dating a guy who was pissed that I was going and he wasn’t – even though he was asked to go with me, he didn’t want to. Sadly he was killed in a robbery at a gas station in Detroit a few years ago. RIP Adel.

How did I happen to start dating that guy? Again, because of Lori, who was dating his roommate at the time. She suggested that we go to a concert (and I didn’t know that HE was going) – it was Journey or Rod Stewart at Joe Louis Arena. We had dated previously, talked about getting married, but broke up and Adel married another woman.
So, if I hadn’t been dating Adel, he wouldn’t have gotten mad that I was going to my reunion with Lori, and I wouldn’t have met Tim and married him, moved to Germany. Then, I wouldn’t have divorced him, gotten a job in a hospital, met and married Alan. Nor would I have met a doctor who made earrings who put that statement in my head “I can do that”.
Who knows where I would be right now?  I could be putting crochet tops on dish towels.

Daring, eh?  Showing a little leg.