Saran’s Story

In her own words …

“I was born in a nomadic family in Mongolia as the youngest child. I learned to ride a horse at 4 years old and used to bring cattle back in the evening. We used to take care of hundreds of sheep and goats. I wanted to go to school when I saw my brothers and sisters going to school. There was a broken Buddhist monastery where we lived. I believed there was a pretty suitcase in the broken monastery. There must be my school uniform, books and pencils in that suitcase. I should take it and go to school … I was a girl who liked to dream.

“When I was 5 years old, my father died of liver cancer. I remember my father got a big bump on his abdomen, and I touched it and felt a hard node. He was gone to rest in two months. Soon we all moved to the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. We moved to Ulaanbaatar by Russian truck, and we all were sitting on a back of the truck. It took three days and three nights to get to Ulaanbaatar. My mother got a job there, and she made heroic efforts to raise us and give us a decent and happy life.

“I graduated high school, then Health Science University of Mongolia. Until the third year of the University, my future was clear as a glass; working as a doctor and having good life. My future was promising. The next few years were a transitioning period for Mongolians from communism to democracy. They were very difficult years for regular people who used to live in one pattern of life. The government gave a food card to every family, and there was not enough to eat on our plates. Many talented students dropped out of school, and many professionals quit their jobs and became merchants and struggled to make a living.

“At times, I considered quitting my school and becoming a merchant seller to feed my family. I couldn’t quit, I couldn’t imagine ending my dream to become a doctor. I spent many years studying medicine. I was one of those hard-working students. I graduated from Health Science University in 1996. After graduation, the economy was still shaky. I earned a small salary working as a family physician for two years. I couldn’t even afford a good pair of winter boots.

“I saw no way to afford my residency training. Even if I worked as a specialist, I couldn’t make a better living. There was not much motivation left for me to pursue my career. My ex-husband is an artist; people didn’t have money to buy arts. We had three young kids to feed and wanted our kids to have a good life. We tried hard to make a living.

“We bought cheap clothes from people who brought them from a small border city in China and sold them outside the market. We cooked hot meals and sold them in the street, too. I helped my ex-husband craft souvenirs and sell them to tourists. We opened a small grocery store. That way, I made better money than working as a doctor. My lovely mother supported me wholeheartedly, and she took care of my children. She gave me a chance to study English in an evening class at a small private college for three years and learn computer.

“Democracy opened the gate to foreign countries for Mongolians, and many people went abroad to work to earn a better income. Thousands of mothers, fathers, daughters and sons were leaving their families behind and believing that someday they would come back with enough money to support their families.

“In talking to my ex-husband, we decided that I should go to the United States to make decent money to buy an apartment and make big money to help us start a new business. We never wanted to face financial difficulty again, and we wanted our kids to have a better life than we were going through. I thought, ‘I can do healthcare work in the U.S., if I learn English.’ I borrowed $3,000 from my nephew who worked in South Korea and came to the U.S. in spring of 2002. I realized that things are not that easy in America.

“During the first three years, I worked as a housekeeper in a hotel and in stores. I worked every day with no weekends off for three years. Then, I took care of elderly people. I worked hard to earn money to feed my family.

“I never lost hope to find some way to get a degree and work in healthcare in the states. I looked for a chance to practice as a physician. I found that I had to give up sending money to my family. I spent every penny I made to study medicine all over again in the U.S. It took a long time, and I wasn’t sure where I would end up. I wanted to have a stable and good-paying job to be able to provide for my children.

“I decided to be a nurse. It took a shorter time. I made many phone calls, emails and meetings to find the nursing program that I needed. Many nursing colleges denied my MD from Mongolia and wanted me to start with a Certified Nursing Assistant class. I took the CNA class and got certified as a nursing assistant.

“In 2007, I went to UW Oshkosh to find out if there was any chance to study in the nursing program. I met Sue Clark, Accelerated Online Baccalaureate to BSN Program adviser, a tall woman with blue eyes. I told her I was a doctor in Mongolia and had come to the U.S. five years ago to find a better life for me and my family. I wanted to become a nurse. She took her time to explain the program and said it was the last day of admission and I might be late.

“Then, she walked with me to the Admissions Office and got me admitted! I was truly grateful to her from all my heart and spirit. That day she gave me hope to pursue my dream to become a registered nurse in the U.S. She advised me to take two more classes, take the TOEFL and gain experience working in the hospital environment. I walked out of her office with big hope.

“I applied for a job at every hospital I saw. Finally, I got a job in St. Vincent Hospital. Big step! I was excited to be around patients, doctors and nurses for the first time in 10 years. I was back in a place I was supposed to be and wanted to be. I would be a professional nurse soon!

“I took public speaking and development psychology classes at a local college. I failed my first attempt at the TOEFL. I tried again and made it.

“UW Oshkosh called me for a phone interview. I failed it. Then I worked on my interview skills as much as I could and applied again. I was thinking, ‘I will apply over and over until I get myself in the program since I’m that close.’ The second time, I made it. One bigger step!

“The day I received good news from UW Oshkosh, my brother called and said my mother was diagnosed with liver cancer and did not have much time to live. I rushed back to Mongolia to see my mother and my kids after six years. I spent two weeks with my mother and my kids and then went back to the states. The day I left, my mother she said, “Be strong my daughter. I wanted to see you before I die. I saw you and know you are doing well. I have no attachment to this life now, since you are OK. Go and finish your school, come back and take your kids as soon as you can.” It was one of the hardest times in my life. My mother went to rest in peace a month later.

“After 12 months of intensive studying, I graduated from the online BSN program. I took my time to prepare for NCLEX. I read the Kaplan NCLEX textbook three times until I thought I was ready and did many practice tests. I got 75 questions on NCLEX and passed it. Officially, I’m an RN BSN.

“I got a job at St. Nicholas Hospital in the Medical/Surgical Unit on Feb. 1, 2010. I was very relieved after graduating from an intensive nursing program and finding a job. I was ready to bring my children to the U.S.

“After three weeks of my orientation, I had a terrible car accident that put me in extensive treatment and recovery. I had a physically and emotionally painful, long recovery.  I remember how desperately I was praying after the accident. “Please God, let me see my kids!”  I was begging death to leave me alone, too. I was praying hard.

“I hadn’t seen my oldest daughter for eight years. I had met my two other daughters two years earlier for only two weeks. I was so close to bringing my kids to the U.S. I had a job at a nice hospital, and I became able to feed my kids when they arrive. Just three weeks after I started my job, all my plans fell apart.

“During my recovery, UW Oshkosh College of Nursing faculty members helped me a lot. I have a special bond with them and my heart fills with love when I hear anything about my school. When I was in ICU, I heard Sue Clark’s deeply concerned voice. I was delighted to see her. She was the person who helped me pursue my dream.

“The CON faculty sent me a brand new bike. One of my professors, Brent McWilliam, brought me the bike. He spent an entire afternoon with us and assembled the bike for me. Now I can bike! Since that day, I started pedaling my bike every day. Dr. Brent occupies a big place in my heart — he is one of the people who enlightened my life.

“He was my first clinical instructor. During my first clinical, I said, “My English is bad; I don’t understand what some patients say and I don’t feel comfortable around people.”

“Dr. Brent was very understanding. He said, “You have to believe in yourself; you know what you are doing. Don’t think about your weakness first.”

“If a patient asked about the Green Bay Packers, I had no answer and felt so self-conscious. I’m not used to being around American football. If they talked about a show or some famous people, I had no answer. I don’t know them. I have never seen those shows.

“It was also hard to learn to speak in hospital talk, because I did online studying and still needed to learn about the hospital environment. During shift report, I sat there blank at the beginning of my clinical. I didn’t understand what the nurses were saying like d5, 45, Kei Ci El, 20, 100. It just didn’t stick in my ears. I know if I see it on paper.

“One nurse said, “I’m pooped.” I thought she was talking about the patient’s BM. It was embarrassing sometimes.

“Dr. Brent’s words pulled my spirit up that day. Dr. Brent, I needed those words that day. You said it in the right time. I have stopped being too hard on myself since then.

“After five months of recovery, I started feeling really depressed. My whole world seemed meaningless. All my hard work to give my kids a good life was ending. I got my degree, I got a nice job and I was ready to buy a house. I was dreaming to prepare my home for my kids. I was close to hugging my kids.

“Now, I didn’t know when I would get back to my normal life. I didn’t even know how to pay my medical bills or how to make a living. I’m foolish. I spent eight valuable years for nothing but to suffer. I even stopped praying and had no dream, no plan … I was disappearing.

“I decided to stop my pain medication and start dealing with my pain with warm baths and trying to keep myself busy. Five months after my accident, I was walking with a cane and able to live without pain medication.

“I did all my best to recover completely and walk normally again. After six months, I was able to walk without crutches or a cane. In August, I went back to work after six months of remarkable recovery. The day after Christmas 2010, I was hugging my kids at the airport.

“My daughters became beautiful girls, tall and pretty. They grew into very independent, mature and responsible girls. The first thing my two younger daughters wanted to do was to go to McDonalds. They were screaming and hopping around when they saw their new bedroom, bathroom and mirrors. I couldn’t get enough of watching my kids, studying each one of them.

“My oldest daughter, Enkuush, 21, went back to Japan to study two weeks later. She studies aeronautical engineering at the Japan Aviation College. She got a full scholarship. She will graduate in 2013. Enkima, 16, studies at South High School in Sheboygan. She studies hard and became a cheerleader. She has decided to be a doctor. Uka, 12, studies at Farnsworth Middle School in Sheboygan. She is a good student and very artistic. She likes to read and handcraft little things. They both volunteer at many different events in the community and are models.

“I’m working part time at St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan and loving my job. I also take care of an elderly client in the home.

“Nine years of mission accomplished! My kids are with me, and I can see a nice future for them. I like good endings of movies, stories and books.

“I know there are people who care for others. I would like to thank the person who saw me hit by a car and called 911, the paramedic and helicopter team that rushed to save my life, all my doctors, nurses, RT, OT, PT, case managers, social workers of Theda Clark Memorial Hospital in Manitowoc, St. Vincent, St. Nicholas Hospital, UW Oshkosh nursing faculty, Accelerated Online RN BSN – October 2007 cohort, my family and friends.”

Read a profile about Saran.

Tags: Admissions Office alumni BSN College of Nursing