Realizing Her Dreams

Over the past few years, I have watched my daughter, Corrie Petersen work very hard to realize her dream of becoming a nurse. In checking, I found out that the nursing degree is the hardest degree to get, and after watching how hard she had to work, I totally believe that. Now, Corrie has been a nurse with her RN (registered nurse) and BSN (Bachelor of Science degree in nursing) for three years. We are so proud of her accomplishments, and now she has a third distinction, her CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse). Corrie has worked at Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital for those three years. She has been an asset to them and they to her. I have been so happy for her as she has realized her dreams of becoming a nurse. That dream actually started in 2007 when she helped to care for her grandparents, Allen and Collene Spencer. Later, she also assisted in caring for her other grandparents, Walt and Joann Schulenberg as well as her husband, Kevin Petersen and his parents, Becky Skelton and Dean Petersen. Corrie has a long history in caregiving and now nursing, and I couldn’t be more proud of her. Corrie has dealt with a number of different diseases in her caregiving-nursing career, including Alzheimer’s Disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety, cancer, and rehabilitation issues, to name a few. Dealing with various diseases has the tendency to make her a well-rounded nurse. The longer she is in nursing, and the more experienced she becomes, the more valuable she is to her employer. While she got into nursing later that many people, she is making up for those years quickly and if you count the caregiving years, she already has more years than many other nurses do. I think her value is already great, and I’m sure her employer realizes that too.

In addition to that Corrie has been focusing on her own health. Nursing school is very hard…on the body too. Some people lose their hair, some, like Corrie gain a lot of weight because of lack of movement. Now, however, Corrie has lost all that excess weight, and she looks great. I am so proud of her for taking control of her health. Several years ago, she became a vegetarian, but as we all know, that is not a guaranty of weight loss, and for Corrie it wasn’t that way. Now, however, she has been really focusing on the loss of excess weight, and she looks amazing. I am so proud of her.

Corrie is also a wife, mother to two sons, and grandmother to one granddaughter and six grandsons. She loves being all of those things, and they are her first priority. Being born on her own great grandmother’s birthday started Corrie’s life off filled with family. Birthdays were always a big deal and celebrated together. So, it stands to reason that her own family is also very important to her. Corrie is also a fur mommy to two puppies and a cat. Corrie and her husband, Kevin enjoy gardening, reading, and improving their home. They have done a lot of renovating to their house, and it looks great. Other than family, Corrie loves reading best. She is a huge James Patterson fan and also likes books on famous assassinations, like Kennedy and Lincoln. Reading is her down time passion. Today is Corrie’s birthday. Happy birthday Corrie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!