When did I not want to be a nurse? Can’t remember. As the middle child with an older sister and a younger brother, I pretty much did as I wanted as long as it was “within” bounds. They called me to get rid of bugs and to patch up hurts. When high school graduation rolled around I contemplated going to Jackson Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. My father, in all his wisdom, did not want his little girl going to an environment with much older men. (ahem). I enrolled at Florida State University and never regretted that decision. It opened opportunities that I would not have had without a degree. Through my education I was able to put my husband through law school (we celebrate our 46th anniversary in 2009), raise three beautiful daughters, was called constantly from friends wanting advice from “Nurse Noel.” On several occasions I was thrown into life threatening situations as was able to respond. Although I no longer practice nursing, it was a wonderful jump start on life.

August 27, 2009 – I finished the narratives today for the entire suite for the Florence Nightingale exhibit.  It has been an exhausting effort, and I hope I was able through seven paintings and two Legend panels of ephemera able to capture the essence and character of Florence Nightingale.  It was certainly a stretch of my capabilities as an artist, and I welcomed the challenge.  I hope folks enjoy the narratives in order that each may learn about the history of modern nursing and the life and times of nursing pioneer, hospital administrator, statistician, hospital designer, and author, Florence Nightingale.