In one of my private online lessons this morning, we talked about women who study for a career after becoming mothers. I thought of my mother, who became a nurse after I graduated from high school.
My mother had several jobs when I was a child. She worked the switchboard (交換台) for a supermarket chain. She worked as a teacher's assistant. She worked as a secretary in my great grandfather's motorcycle shop. Later, she did bookkeeping for another supermarket.
But when I graduated from high school, she went to nursing school (看護婦学校） and became a nurse. I was so proud of her!
When it was time for her to take the test to recieve her nursing license, I drove her there. It was in another town that was a 4 hour drive away. She and I stayed in a hotel the night before. I enjoyed that time with her so much. It was just the 2 of us (二人きり) together for 2 days. I had my mother all to myself (ひとりじめ), which was unusual because I had 3 younger siblings.
My mother made the highest score on the test! I was so proud of her.
All through my years as a mother in Japan, I would frequently ask my nurse/ mother for advice when my children got sick or injured. I felt reassured (安心) whenever I heard her advice.
When my children were older, I became sick. I went to several different hospitals and had many tests, but the doctors couldn't figure out what my problem was. But finally, the problem was solved! My mother sent me an e-mail suggesting what she thought the problem might be. She even explained how the doctor should check for it.
I showed my mother's e-mail to my doctor. (My doctor is good at English.) My doctor immediately tried the simple examination that my mother suggested, and found the problem! My mother was right!!! She solved the mystery. [The problem is related to one of my kidneys' arteries (腎臓の動脈）. The doctor could hear the problem with her stethoscope (聴診器) when she held it against my side, at my mother's suggestion.]
Because of my mother's suggestion, my doctor could understand what the problem was. I was sent to a large hospital for the appropriate (適切) tests and treatment. I was the first patient (患者) that they had ever seen at that hospital with this condition. So without my mother's advice, I think it must have been very difficult to discover what my problem was.
I love and respect and admire my nurse mom so much! I can never thank her enough, and I know that she was well-loved by all the patients she cared for.