When Joey Met Meg

Part 4

Why do you wake up? What drives you every morning to get up from that soft firm warm bed?  Why do you work?  For whom, for what purpose do you work so hard?  Moms, wife, and single women - I want to talk about them today and for future issues of my column.  I want to display the women power to give appreciation in what women do.

Meet Joey Andrea Rivera, 24 years old.  A Filipino nurse here in New York City.  She left her dear family in the Philippines to work here.  Let's get to know more of her.

"My family is not rich but both of my parents are very hardworking.  My dream is to become a doctor.  Even when I was a kid I wanted to save lives. I want to touch lives by giving cure/medication to people.  I took up nursing as my first step to the world of medicine.  I have seen my parents struggle while I was in college because of financial difficulties.  I still have two siblings who were in high school and elementary at that time.  After my graduation, I decided to continue my profession and work hard to be able to help my family. 

It was difficult being away with your loved ones, especially when you have spent your entire life living with them.  I missed coming home after a tired night of duty in the hospital, smelling the breakfast that mom prepared for me.  Waking up to my sisters' kisses and hugs when they get home from school.  My dad would always drive me to the hospital on a night duty.  These pretty little things, I missed about them.  But thank God for technology because we are always connected even if we are miles apart.  Still difficult though, I cannot hug them, smell my sisters' scent, not able to taste my mom's cooking, not able to kiss my dad, not being able to feel and touch them. It hurts when I think about these things.  Every time I get so lonely, I think about the reason why I am here.  This is for them, to give my family a better life, a better future.

One day, I got a call from my mother.  She said that Sam (our youngest) has dengue fever and she's in critical stage.  My mom didn't call me for me to be worried.  She called to let me know of the situation and together we can all pray for her recovery.  I cried after that call.  My heart was pierced for not being able to take care of my baby sister and here I am taking care of other people when I thought that family should come first.  As a nurse, I have vowed to this profession to do my best for the welfare of my patients.  It's fulfilling in a way, every time my patients appreciates my work.  A simple thank you, a tap on the hand, after you give them their medicines, their kind words, simple gifts after their discharge.

These experiences has taught me to know myself.  I have discovered things about myself that I didn't knew before.  Life is surely a continuing learning process, it doesn't stop when life is too hard on you.  Being alone and working in a foreign land is tough, but I should focus on my goals.  And that is my love for my family and be a better person that I can be." - Joey Rivera R.N.

---Meg Fuller, Junior Editor

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Meg left 2 copies of the magazine in my mailbox, 1 copy has a note (send this to your family). It was bizarre, awkward but flattering to see myself on a glossy paper of NYC.  I have never imagined this.  Meg has inserted a photo of me in the mag when we attended a party in Brooklyn (caption: Night life doesn't always stay in the hospital, we know how to enjoy too.)  Another photo inserted, I was wearing my nurse's uniform topped with an elegant black trench coat.  Last photo inserted, I was wearing a sporty outfit and ready to run to Central Park (autumn leaves were scattered everywhere.)

That pictorial with Meg was one hell of an experience.  It was my first time to have a photoshoot.  But Meg was very supportive and keeps on reminding the photographer to be easy on me.  She will come closer to me every time she see me tensed.  But my heart can never calm after that kiss inside her office.  I'm glad her assistant Kate called her on the phone.  Then we immediately went to the studio without talking about kiss, we acted like nothing has happened --again.