"I was born and raised in Dallas Texas . I grew up going to Dallas Cowboy games with my father, shelling pecans from our backyard tree, and saying "Ya'll" a lot. Sports were a huge part of my life and I was quite proud that I was asked to compete on the boys track team, back when coed sports were unheard of. I don't know how a love of sports transferred into an interest in biology and the sciences in general, but out of a family of artists, came an R.N. and an M.D. My brother is a children's orthopedic surgeon in Tucson and my sister, a painter, resides here as well.

After graduation from Rincon High School, I attended Pima Community College for a degree in Dental Assisting. I worked in the dental field for 12 years and am able to bring this knowledge to use in my current job. I always wanted to become a surgeon, but seeing how much time my brother invested I was afraid I would miss my children's youth. I opted for a career in nursing and was fortunate to get an internship in the Intensive Care Unit immediately upon graduation. I rotated through the Neural, Cardiac, and Post Surgical units to obtain experience before returning to work in the ICU for the next six years. I left there to work in a recovery room setting, which is where I became exposed to the medical specialty of Anesthesia. I continue to feel that my biggest responsibility of a nurse is that of being the patient advocate. My philosophy is to treat patients as I would want my family, or myself to be treated.

I spend my "off duty" time working with my Arabian Gelding Horse. I had horses when I was in my late teens and gave that up during college and child rearing years. I was inspired by several of my fellow OPA doctors to get into horses again. Tucker is only six years old, so we have much new territory to cover, but he is especially suited for endurance rides and I may take him in the ring if I can learn the discipline of dressage. Mostly I just love to ride down the washes, or up the canyon trails.

As I mentioned, my children are raised, (but not gone). My young adult daughter lives with us and attends college. My married son did a stint in the Navy and lives here in Tucson now with his wife and my 4 year old grandchild.

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