Eselyn: Part I

As I take you on this journey of Midwifery with me, I’d like to share the stories that have shaped me as a woman and as the Practitioner that I have become and am becoming. 

If you have followed me for a while, then you may know that my grandmother was a Certified Nurse Midwife on the island of Antigua. I did not know her story until after her passing but indeed her legacy has continued on. This is part I of a series called ‘Eselyn’ and a look into how I discovered midwifery was already in my blood. 

My grandmother was a woman of few words. At least for me anyway. She chose to show her love in action.  A game of Chinese Checkers, watching my cousin and I play in the PS127 park across the street from her home in Queens, NY, dragging us begrudgingly to the island she grew up in—Antigua (pronounced an-TEE-ga, please let's fix this) during summers-these were her actions of love.   

As I was growing up and learning to read and write, my grandmother became my pen pal. She revealed her love through letters signed 'Love Always, Grandma P’. As I grew and got to know her more, I found those letters to be quite impactful and memorable. They were and are treasures to me—pieces of her that I cannot get back and that I cling to in remembrance of her. 

It was of no shock to me (ok maybe a little) that after her death I found out we had much more in common. Again, we are dealing with a woman of very few words here. Before and during my undergrad studies, I would discuss with her my career plans and the pathway I wanted to take, only to hear 'mmmm' and 'ok that sounds good, keep it up, study hard' as our conversation would move along. I distinctively remember feeling a sense of pride from her as I announced later that I was going to pursue a degree in nursing (after completing my pre-med studies—a story for another day). Registered nursing was the only career I had known her to have. I don't know why I had not recognized this was my path any sooner (although all life detours provide a lesson). I knew as a child that my grandmother, her sister, and quite a few other family members were Registered Nurses. I grew up knowing this but not understanding the world of nursing and the opportunities and experiences it provides. 

Here is where I will leave you. Stay tuned for parts II and III of this story along with more of my journey through Midwifery.