Nursing was not part of my plan. I originally envisioned a very different future—one rooted in business accounting and the study of Japanese. I was drawn to structure, numbers, and language, and I believed that path would provide both stability and fulfillment. However, as life often proves, plans change. What I once saw as a clear direction slowly shifted as circumstance, timing, and fate guided me toward a path I had never anticipated. After stepping away from school, I eventually returned not with a specific career goal in mind, but simply to pass time and remain productive. It was during this period that I found myself increasingly exposed to the medical field of infertility. What began as a graduation requirement grew to curiosity, which soon became interest, and that interest deepened into purpose. Without realizing it, I was being drawn deeper - not through a single defining moment, but through a series of experiences that quietly reshaped my priorities and passions. For the past twenty years, I have worked closely with infertility patients, a role that has profoundly influenced both my professional and personal life. In this field, I have had the privilege of working alongside physicians, nurses, embryologists, geneticists and counselors, witnessing firsthand the complexity of patient care. Infertility is not only a medical condition; it is an emotional journey filled with hope, loss, resilience, and courage. Supporting patients through some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives has taught me the importance of compassion, advocacy, and attentive care—qualities that are central to nursing. My connection to this field is also deeply personal. Experiencing my own fertility struggles gave me a new perspective on patient care. I learned what it means to sit on the other side of the exam room, to feel uncertainty and fear while placing trust in a medical team. These experiences strengthened my desire to become not just a healthcare worker, but a nurse, someone who can bridge clinical expertise with empathy and understanding. Although I had once set aside the goal of earning my bachelor’s degree, that decision was made with intention. Raising my son became my priority, and I would not change that choice. During those years, I continued to learn, grow, and find my passion within the field of infertility. Returning to school in my forties presents challenges, but it has also reinforced my determination. I bring with me decades of experience, resilience, and a clear sense of purpose. Pursuing a degree in nursing is not a departure from my past, but rather the culmination of it. Every step, every detour, and every challenge has led me here. Nursing allows me to combine my lived experiences, professional background, and passion for patient care into a role where I know I can make a meaningful difference.

Growing up in the Hawaiian culture, a culture deeply rooted in respect for the environment and everything it provides for us, I was always taught that everything is connected. Our ancestors lived off the land and sea, passing knowledge to each generation through physical, emotional, and spiritual means. The Hawaiian culture has a very holistic approach, from the old medicinal value of plants, the spiritual healing practices of lomi lomi (an ancient form of massage), even in stories passed down through hula kahiko (ancient dance) and hula 'auana (modern dance). Yet, despite being surrounded by it, I somehow took it all for granted. My grandma was a huge advocate for homeopathy, naturopathy, and other means of alternative medicine. In addition to our Hawaiian culture, she traveled the world and learned as much as she could, then brought it back to all of us. However, as a teen and young adult, I thought I knew better and there was no scientific basis for alternative treatments. I can't begin to tell you how wrong I was. My grandma is now almost 96, living alone in the house we all grew up in with her dog, living life to the fullest. As I sit here at 43 years old, I am living proof of the phrase "hindsight is 20/20." I left the islands to pursue a "better life" on the mainland. While I'm still connected to Hawaii and will always view it as my home, I realize now I desperately need to reconnect. I'm understanding what Grandma was trying to teach us long ago. Now is the time I'm prioritizing me and my mental, emotional, and physical health. It started about 8 years ago, when my health started deteriorating. I was stressed and depressed but in denial about both, making excuses for working so hard to achieve my "American dream". I continued to push forward, thinking someday I'll have everything I need or want and then I can stop and enjoy it. Well, I'm here to tell you, if you continue that way, there will never be an end. It took me years to understand that I needed to live in the moment and enjoy things as they came. Only in the last 3-5 years have I really started to take control of my mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing by making small changes in my life. I've embraced the holistic approach by learning about and understanding the use of essential oils, learning different relaxation techniques and taking advantage of healing modalities such as massage, acupuncture, and reiki. Grateful that these have all had a positive impact on my overall health and taught me to better control my mental and emotional health, I re-enrolled in college to advance my 22 year old career in healthcare so I can continue to help patients struggling with infertility. I'm blessed to be where I am, but know I can contribute so much more to the field. I've even gone beyond humans. Last year, I adopted my first dog, who became further inspiration for better health. As I learned to care for her, I also learned to care for myself. Attempting to help her heal from things veterinarians couldn't figure out, I became certified in animal naturopathy. Learning for her inspired me to take additional courses for nutrition and alternative healing methods so I can learn more about taking care of me and apply it to others in the future. "Foresight is 20/20" is my new motto as I pursue my educational goals while continuing to prioritize my mental, emotional and physical health.

Of all the career choices I thought of growing up, nursing was not one of them. I come from a working-class family from Hawaii, where the cost of living is enormous, and we lived in survival mode, just getting by. I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship for a private college preparatory high school and was the first in my family to graduate with honors from that high school. However, along with that opportunity was also the added pressure to go to college right after graduating and be the first in generations to earn a college degree. That's exactly where my story began but despite all the best intentions and getting good grades, I failed miserably at the college experience. I was a double major - Business Accounting and Japanese. As prepared as I thought I was, I was not! After a year and a half, I ended up dropping out, realizing I was wasting time and money pursuing something I didn't really want to do. Around the same time is when I met my husband. He didn't want me to leave college but stood by my decision and wanted to be sure that I was doing it for the right reasons. Shortly afterward, I needed to do something to pass time, so I enrolled in a medical assisting certificate program. Just as I started that program, I found out we were expecting our son. That could have been used as an excuse to leave school again, but it was too late. The healthcare flame was lit! I breezed through my program, completing and graduating on time, even after delivering my son via c-section. At the top of my class, I was nominated for an externship at a fertility practice and still work for the practice that took a chance on me so long ago. I'm now 22 years into the field, having worked hard to build a career, and I've found my niche. I still feel excitement build as I work with each patient, helping them understand their treatment cycles, or answering their questions. I love working with my patients, yet I know I can contribute so much more to the field and help so many more patients. Recently, our company was acquired by a bigger network of clinics, and with it came corporate changes. It turns out the title that I worked so hard to gain, and have done so well for the last 15 years, is what corporate hires RN's or BSN's to do. While they grandfathered me into the role based on my experience, I understood long before this transition, that the lack of my degree was my greatest limiting factor. I've been fortunate enough to fulfill my role remotely, with some travel to work on site periodically. It was clear my opportunity to get back to school and finish my degree has arrived. With the blessing and encouragement of my family, colleagues, and company, I enrolled with Grand Canyon University to complete my pre-requisites to qualify for their accelerated BSN program and I've just completed my first semester in 7 weeks with a 4.0 GPA. Caring for people going through fertility struggles is not easy, but I love being part of a story that not only changes but also creates lives. I want to give more of myself to this community and don't see myself stopping at BSN. I would like to see it through to a MSN degree as well. My time has come and nursing is where I belong!