Yo-Hi,
Class of 1964
Student Spotlight
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**(click on any image for a larger size, use back button to return here)** YIKES!! 50 years since HS graduation???? Alrighty then.. here goes..... An update... Dad was a retired Air Force officer working as a civilian with AFEES while we were in Yokohama. Fearing that I would marry before finishing college, my parents gave me a choice to stay in Japan and attend college in Tokyo, or go to “all girls” Cottey Jr College in Missouri. “Cottey Convent” was not the best choice. While there, I wrote to Mr. Gormley asking for advice. He sent me a wonderful, heartfelt letter, and promised not to tell my parents. I still have it. He thought I would be happier at a coed school....YA THINK??? 1966-I went to Okinawa after graduation where my family was then located, and planned to attend the University of Hawaii to be closer. Dad was transferred to the states, so I happily graduated in 68 with a BS in education from Western KY Univ. SR year, my football playing fiance was gonna be drafted & my dad recommended he volunteer. We were married over Christmas break, & my sister Mary was maid of honor. Ron was in basic at Ft Knox, so I was lucky to see him on weekends while I did my student teaching. When he went overseas, I stayed in Lexington, KY, taught school and waited for him to come home. We wanted our children to have roots. Ron was a native Kentuckian, so when he returned home we remained in KY, where he joined the family business. We have two wonderful children-- a daughter, Tami (1970), and a son, Colby (1974). I was a stay at home Mom for 9 years happily doing the “Beaver Cleaver” thing. The marriage became increasingly difficult. 1979-I became one of the first paralegals in Lexington & worked 7 years a large law firm. It is time to take a look at your quality of life when you have a CYA file at home, and the attorneys call the managing partner a “flesh-eater”. I went back to graduate school thinking I would pick up where I left off and teach special Ed, but realized that it was too hard for me to be objective now that I had my own kids. 1992-Amicable divorce after 24 years of marriage and thinking of leaving many times. I have wondered if it was the best for my kids to have stayed, but we make the best decisions we can with the info at hand at the end of the day, don't we? No grieving for me ---I did that during the marriage. I lucked into another cutting edge position at the U of KY Markey Cancer Center as a study coordinator, working with patients participating in pre-approved FDA trials for investigational drug studies. My friends said that working with doctors would not be any better than working with lawyers. They were wrong! Every day, I felt like I was making a difference in the world. One of the drugs I worked on was given to my Mom when she had lung cancer in the 90s. We started SoCRA at UK, and now it is a world wide organization of professionals. After 5 years at the Cancer center, I was recruited by the psychiatry department to work on Alzheimer studies. I stayed for two more years, and then in 1997, was recruited by a Clinical Research Organization to be a Clinical Research Associate (CRA). I monitored patient safety, making sure the doctors and study coordinators were conducting drug studies correctly at offices and hospitals. This job required lots of travel US & Canada. I had found my niche & I loved it. 2001-The highlight of my career was 3 months I spent in England before 911--- working, traveling, training CRAs. They asked me to stay, but my first grandchild Sam was on the way! Time to come home.Traveling after 911 was not so much fun any more ....to say the least. 2011- I fell while on on a business trip, and now have an injury that does not allow me to travel without restrictions. My company appreciated this weary road warrior and created a job for me to do from my home office at age 66! The job I loved all those years, has morphed industry wide into something that is sad & scary with patient safety taking a back seat to corporate greed. June 2014-Retired. Since retiring from the stress, my triglycerides dropped 120 points, I am now sleeping 8 hours or more a night, losing weight, & and my blood pressure dropped 20 points! FAMILY UPDATE: We are blessed all grandkids have loving stay at home moms & hands on dads. All of our grandchildren are happy, healthy, active, thriving, & beautiful. My Daughter, Tami married Greg McCain in in 1998, (three days after my Mom died.) Two children-Max age 10, Maggie will be 9 in Dec. Live in Colorado and Greg works in nuclear energy. My Son, Colby --Married Darci in 1999. Two children-Sam -age 13, Luke 11.-Colby is a farrier who put the shoes on Smarty Jones.... Former Derby winner..they live in Sadieville KY. Maggie has had an incredible journey & has a link on Caring Bridge. www.caringbridge.org/visit/maggiemccain Some YoHi classmates have been praying for her since she was born. Maggie's seizures began when she was a week old, and she had her right temporal lobe removed at John Hopkins before she was 5 with amazing results. She is a joy--attends regular school, plays piano..was voted student of the month last year! She still has some developmental issues, and Tami keeps a watchful eye on her. Please keep praying for her. Mark's son- Zach and fiance Anita—both in U of L med school , are getting married Sept 13 in Louisville. We look for them to do great things. They have traveled down the Amazon river the last 4 yrs on medical mission trips and both are doing extremely well in school. 2004-After years of dating, I decided my dream of a life partner was not going to happen. I had a great career & kids, beautiful grandchildren, & wonderful friends. Nobody has it all anyway, do they? I never knew what it was to have someone with whom I totally connect, and who loves me unconditionally. You are lucky if you get unconditional love from your Mom & your dog....which I did.. :) BOOM! MARK dropped in from nowhere. He is the love of my life. We were friends first coming from different places... 2006-Married Mark on the beach with our families, our friend Linda officiating, & Dana as best man. Dana has a special bond with Maggie ever since. Check out terryandmark.com for our wedding website. Mark got the stamp of approval from the YOHI guys at the Biloxi reunion. We live in Frankfort, KY. Mark is a software developer, and just accepted a position at U of L med school. We enjoy ballroom dancing among other things. Recently had meet n greet with Derek and Julianne Hough at their show in Cincinnati. There is a story about my “croning by demand ceremony” in a book Turning 50- fifty Personal Celebrations by Olivia WU. WOO HOO—As a follow up, I just had a retirement open house celebration that lasted 12 hours. I am now trying to get the hang of this retirement thing after such a demanding career all those years, & learning not to cram so much in 24 hrs. My plan was to spend more time with my kids and grandchildren... (they are older now & so busy); meditate, long walks, trips to the beach, garden, dance, take exercise, yoga & zumba classes; continue riding lessons, work out, relax, read, volunteer, & go to lunch with my friends. I am “taking another tack”...I can still do some of that, but my ”new normal” has something else in store for me! My sister, Mark and I were the “three musketeers” handling our Dad's several year declining health and all his affairs without the first argument. Our new closer relationship is a gift from God. I am now open to all possibilities...I can actually sit and read a book without feeling guilty!! Mark & I eat healthier now, feel better, & are both off those damn statins. I can volunteer in honor of Maggie with the KY Epilepsy organization. I'm considering finishing that book I was told to write by several folks with the emails I sent every day from England about my experiences there. I am learning about my subconscious by studying with “Carl Jungians” with dream work. Mark and I attended an amazing conference this summer by the Haden Institute. We are learning so much from Joyce Hudson, author of Natural Spirituality who is a friend of ours, and lives here. Anyone wanna buy my beloved MINI COOPER?? Bittersweet.. I just bought a more comfortable car......I want to go to Graceland and stay at the peabody with the ducks...it's a short drive...learning to enjoy just BEING!..just BE.. I even had time to do this thing for Jack! WOW!! Life is good. God is great, and has bestowed many blessings on my family and me, not only in the last 50 years, but for my entire life.
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