Y'all probably won't remember me, but trust me, there are people who do know me around this town, like the nurses I used to work with at Nashville Memorial Hospital here in Nashville, Tennessee, where I live near my children and grandchildren.

My name is Genevieve Marie Therese Voisin (pronounced like Vwah-zanh, accent on second syllable; it means "neighbor" in the Cajun French language).  I am now 69 and just about as active as ever, especially for the past several years since my husband, George (God bless his soul!) passed away from Alzheimer's disease.  He died in 2005; there isn't a day where I don't miss him. 

Most days I do great; on other days, I fall apart whenever I see his picture, hear his name mentioned, or run across things he liked.

My children are continuing to bless me with grandchildren.  I now have 18 grandchildren:  the two newest grandbabies are Triniti Danielle (aged 1 year) and six week old Palmer George.  They are the lights of my world; I love them all so much!

Happily, my children live close to me, so I can see them just about every day, if they so choose to come see me.  The grandchildren are sweet, caring, adorable little kids who are growing like weeds.  Seems like it was only yesterday when Triniti was Palmer's age; now I have a brand new grandson to spoil rotten!  LOL

I have been enjoying my life these last two years.  At first, my retirement was fraught with worry or illness (mostly on George's part; he then got worse, so I had to put him in a nursing home; it was the hardest decision of my life, as was saying goodbye to him when he died), but now I can do anything I choose (as long as my arthritis or osteoperosis will allow me to participate). 

I have been on two cruises:  one last year to Cozumel and Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, and this year (back in June) to Alaska (Juneau, Homer, Sitka, Anchorage).  It was wonderful meeting new people and seeing places I had always dreamed of going (but never could because of work demands or caring for my sick husband).

Next year if all goes to plan, I am thinking of taking a cruise to the Scandinavian countries, for two weeks.  I think that would be simply grand!  I have always wanted to go to that part of the world; I pray this comes to pass!

Still enjoying retirement: besides traveling, I love to play the casinos or lottery games (most I've won so far is $5,000, twice!), listen/dance to Cajun music, go to the Grand Ole Opry (whenever I can grab a hold of some tickets!), go to my senior aerobic/exercise classes, visit the homebound or sick elderly people at the nursing home or hospital, and visit some of the ladies I worked with when I was a nurse.

It feels good to know that a lot of my ladies keep in touch with me.  Like Louisiana Sandusky, who was my "partner-in-crime", if you will.  She still has her huge family to take care of, is still as busy as ever, working as much as 80 hours a week (give or take a few!), is active at her church, and running the show at home, loving her children and grandchildren.  Her kids are all getting so big!  And now she has new little ones I am getting to know (and love)!

Another one who regularly visits me is Gloria Michelle Trainor, who is now the head of the pediatric nursing department.   She and her husband, Al, have adopted a new daughter from China; the little girl is now six and as vigorous as a little jumping bean.  (The child's name is Tennedie Morgan.)  She is absolutely precious; she's already started calling me "Gran'mama Genevieve"!  They are doing very well, too.

Still a third nurse I keep in close contact with is Julie "Jules" Montanegra, who lives the street up from me, along with her husband, Rance, and her two children, Rance, Jr. and Ginger.  Julie is as bubbly as they come:  once she appears, you can't be sad for long because she knows how to keep you in stitches!  She is a very wonderful gal; I just love her like a daughter!  (Same with Gloria and Louisiana.)

Every Thanksgiving,  I try to stop by the hospital to see the nursing staff if they are working.  While there are a lot of familiar faces there, there are, on the other hand, many new faces I don't even know.  There is a terrible nursing shortage going on; a lot of the nurses on staff now have to work extra hours, just so they can survive.  It's really sad to see some of them working their tails off, yet they get no respect or satisfaction; it breaks my heart, each and every time.

During the Christmas season, I always try to get the nurses a little something (something I made, or something I picked up on one of my trips); I even write letters of encouragement to the newer nurses, to boost their morale up when they are having a bad time of it at work.  I find that this helps out a lot.

I miss working at the hospital; yet I don't miss the bullchit that goes on a lot of the time.  There's so many pompous doctors out there, I'd love to give their azzes a good kick!  Or whack 'em one with my cane whenever I use it (I use it if my arthritis is really bothering me).  That usually does the trick.  *grins*

I am going to go shortly:  going to meet up with Myrtle Potter, Helen Davis, Wilma-Jo Floyd, and Wanice Abednego to play bridge at four; I always play bridge on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the senior center.  I am also going to take them out to Dairy Queen for a bite to eat (my treat; played the lottery last week, matched four of the five numbers; won $500!).  I will write in here again soon; again, I am sorry for not writing in so long; now you know why. 

Take care, and may God bless you always!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, Genevieve Marie Therese Voisin.  :)