Family Foto Friday

Co-workers to Friends to Family

Lori Krause • March 15, 2019

I’ve heard that ‘family’ isn’t always about blood relatives. As a matter of fact, I recently saw a quote that said, ‘Here’s to the nights that turned into mornings with the friends that turned into family.’ I’m sure the author, unknown, had a different meaning or thought in mind, but what I immediately thought of was my nursing ‘family.’

I worked at Shawnee Mission Medical Center from 1981 – 1994. The joke was that I went on maternity leave in 1994 and never went back. It is true that I didn’t return to work within the hospital, but I ended up working for a lung specialist affiliated with the hospital for several years and still had contact with many of my friends who still worked there.

I think one of the reasons so many of those women hold a special place in my life and heart, is because they helped to form my nursing career. While working my way through nursing school, I was blessed to have teachers and mentors who took me under their wing. So, by the time I graduated in 1986, I felt much more at ease working clinically. These women were also with me when I married my husband and through the birth of both of my kids.

So back to the above quote. I’ve often wondered why, after 30+ years, all it takes is one phone call, or text or Facebook message and we are all brought together again. I think because we HAD to depend on one another, and help each other just like family. Especially on the night shift, when there isn’t a lot of extra staff. It didn’t matter the title, education level or role, if I needed help someone was there. Just as they are now.

Many thanks to my nursing ‘family’. I won’t name anyone for fear of leaving someone out. But you all know who you are and what a special place you hold in my life and my heart.

You can contact me about how to preserve your photos, negatives, and non-photographic items at lori@krauseinc.com or call Heartland Imaging KC at (816) 492-7974.

Lori Krause Lori Krause is a Photo Organizer and Photo Life Manager. As a photo life manager, she treats your photos and your memories as if they were her own. She provides personalized, local service to organize and preserve photos. Then works with her clients to tell the stories behind the photos.