If you’ve been paying attention to local news this week, it’ll seem like my parents are celebrities! I’ve seen their faces pop up on quite a few local news posts and it’s pretty cool.
My mom was in the news because last week she was awarded as the South Dakota Family Doctor of the Year – which is a pretty big deal! I see every day how hard my mom works and how much she cares about her patients. She’s been doing this for almost 32 years now, which is as long as I’ve been alive!
My mom was one of those people who knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life from a pretty young age. When she was 13, her brother fell off the back of her bike and split his head open. This was when family docs still made house calls, so she called for help and they came to their house and stitched his head up while she held onto him. From that moment on, she knew she wanted to become a doctor. She thought it was pretty cool to help people – and she doesn’t get squeamish about that stuff like I do!
My dad has been in the news lately because at the end of this month, he’s hanging up his Doctor hat and retiring. He’s been a Family Medicine doctor for 32 years as well, and the last two years he’s also been the Chief Medical Officer at Prairie Lakes. My dad also knew from a young age he wanted to be in the medical field, but it took some exploring before he decided exactly what he wanted to do in the medical field.
At first, he wanted to be a Med Tech like his older brother. But after shadowing him a bit, he felt like he wanted more. He wanted to be the one who figured out what was going on with the patients, and not just ordering the tests. He was up for the challenge!
My parents actually met in medical school and they’ve been working together their entire career. They are some of the hardest working people I know and they do it because they love helping people.
Growing up, it was easy to be frustrated when one of them couldn’t make it to a sporting event, or if one of them had to work into the wee hours of the morning. But now as an adult I know they worked so hard not only because they cared about their patients, but because they wanted a good life for us kids too. They set us all up for success and taught us to work hard at anything we do. And for that I am grateful.
I’m excited for my dad to finally retire, and whenever my mom decides to retire, I’ll be happy for her too. They’ve dedicated a majority of their adult lives to helping others and I think it’s time they take some time for themselves. Enjoy life a little bit and kick back and relax! Plus, my dad will have a lot more time to bring me coffee! 😉
I’m very proud of all that my parents have accomplished, and I love hearing all the wonderful things people have been saying about the milestones they’ve reached. They’ve touched a lot of lives and it’s evident they’ve made an impact.
Congratulations to you both, and I love you very much! Thanks for all you do for me, our family, and the community. Y’all truly are the best!
Until next time! 🙂
Megan Nelson