Hello, my name is Isioma. I’m a nursing student. When I’m not looking for the next textbook to read, I like to listen to Taylor Swift who has made me such a hopeless romantic. I can’t believe I’m doing this after so many deliberations. Whew! I need to breathe in and out on the count of 1,2,3…
So firstly, I’d like to say why I took up scribbling. Well, it’s an escape for me to create my world; a world of forms like Plato mentioned blah blah blah. Most of my writings are melancholic poems and you can find them on my IG instagram.com/heyisioma and Twitter twitter.com/heyisioma
So back to business…WHY NURSING?
Do you know that kid in high school who always wears glasses, sits at a secluded corner in the classroom, makes people wonder “why the fuck is she that way, so weird”? Yup, that’s me except I didn’t wear glasses. Just a lonely kid, lost with no sense of identity. A kid, always willing to stay in the background to avoid being judged even though I had my heart in the right place.
My first decision to study a medical course was greatly influenced by my parents. One of the reasons they gave was studying a medical course would be beneficial to you when you enter the labour market and the golden handshake they receive is worth every sweat. So after my SSCE, I sought admission immediately. The exam atmosphere was a bit humid. To me, this was a good omen that everything was going to be alright. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. However, I wasn’t perturbed because it was my first trial. I licked my wounds and re-sat. Little did I know that déjà vu was going to pay me a visit.
Na this point my papa kun dey preach for me “Isioma, never allow failure be the finishing touch of your envisage rather nothing but a lesson that pushes you to the path of success”. I say make I use this one hold body as per “aspire to maguire” so I got up, borrowed strength from 19 random people in addition to the little strength I had left and purchased LUTH’s School of Nursing examination form. For every stage you pass, you proceed to the next. I survived and proceeded to the interview stage which was the final stage. I never knew I wasn’t shortlisted until the next form was out.
To be honest, I was beyond devastated. I lost my self esteem, my self worth, I questioned my intelligence. I became afraid of the world, afraid of myself but above all, I spent each day wondering why I was plagued with a worthless life -- a life of failure.
My family was livid and pensive about my ordeal. According to my grandma, my consistent failures were due to my “examination uniform”. For some weird reason I don’t know, I always wore a particular halter neck shirt decorated with faux pearl stones and a black skirt that hugged my figure perfectly. Most of my best mates were married, pregnant and I began to wish to be in the same boat as them. You know just to experience some positivity (after all they say children are a gift from God).
Fast forward to me on the protest ground during the END-SARS period.
I saw nurses and how they interacted with victims of gunshots, the whole scenario was like an emotional screenplay. The victims-- people that fought to be heard but were misunderstood and shot which represented the old me. The nurses -- caregivers who communicated with their heart, love and integrity-- who I want to be. You know, being selfless and compassionate. That churn you get in your stomach at the sight of people suffering. You’re willing to give your all to mend their broken pieces. Be a great friend and a good listener. Empathy synchronized with sympathy! Nurse are tranquillisers. I want to heal the world, not just physically, but also emotionally. That’s who I’m meant to be. This became my purpose.
I don’t know what the future holds but for now, I’ll be here.
