120 - Tracey Sheppard (Zehm) Pt 1: You Sometimes Just Do It…

Join tenured nurse, host Eric’s nursing school classmate, and Nine Mile Falls, Washington native Honored Guest Tracey Zehm as she reminisces about her love of travel, Space Force, how nursing wasn’t always her path, attempting to go down prereq memory lane, working through nursing school as a mother of a young child and with a shocking diagnosis, and more!

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Transcript

0:01

Hello and welcome to today's episode of Feeding Our Young. no, I know how I wanted to do this. Hold on one second. Hello and welcome to today's episode of Feeding Our Young. This is the rapidly advancing aged Eric Miller, your host for the day. No, I can't do it. The other reason why I'm going with this is because today's honored guest, I'm so excited to introduce her to you. because it is the very first honored guest of mine that, let's just, we're peers. We graduated nursing school together. We met because of nursing school, because of this lovely career that we all love, and it is the very first peer of mine that is appearing on the, and hopefully not the last, who knows? eh Anybody out there who went to school with us and you wanna share some more stories, let's make it happen. Wasn't that the question of the hour? welcome to the Feeding Our Young podcast. Let's just open that up with that whole gag. So are you Tracey Sheppard? you Tracey Zehm? What am I doing with you? What's going on? Why are you the lady with so many last names? know, I know. So Tracey Zehm is my formal title, but my children's last name is Sheppard. while my daughter's still in high school, so I've kept the last name so that she doesn't feel like she's all alone in the world, you know? Not the only Sheppard in the house, but my husband would sure love me to change that last name permanently. I told them it was Facebook official, so isn't that count for something? Yeah, I'm pretty sure. I love it. Well, no. So, of course I knew Tracey as Tracey Sheppard. She is the one and only Tracey Zehm... Sheppard Zehm... Shepard. And we're not making light of any sort of whatever the reasons why that is and all the things. I come from a family of divorce and my mom, same thing. was... I always joked that I was doomed one way or the other because her maiden name was Smith. I'm giving it out there so anyone who's trying to hack my identity, there you are, my mother's maiden name was Smith and ended up becoming a Miller and so when they got divorced when I was really young, she kept Miller for the exact same reason. She's like, it's just easier with you guys and having the same last name and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So anyway, that being said, Tracey, I'm so excited. I've reached out and Tracey's like, heck yeah, let's talk about the old days. So you guys, I don't know if we're gonna get anything practical out of this. I'm sure we will. But we're gonna, you're just gonna listen to us reminisce. This is what's happening. But, yeah, I think the emphasis is on the word try, right? I'm gonna segue just for a second. Have you ever seen the movie or heard of the movie called Final Cut? It wasn't super popular. I was gonna say, based on your face. So it's Robin Williams in a non-comedic role. And it's a weird little like, I think it was kind of a lower budget. Maybe I'm insulting the people who made it. I don't know. But the whole purpose of it is it's of sci-fi. It's kind of mostly regular life. But everybody, when they're born, the parents have the option of putting this chip or something inside their brain that records their entire life, everything they see. And then at the end of their life, there's specific people in these jobs called cutters, and they go through the footage of their entire life. and make this amazing, you know what I mean? It's almost like social media on steroids, right? But the reason why I bring it up is because I love some of the poignant things that come out of it, such as there's like some memorial service, I think it's early in the movie, and these people are walking out of the memorial service and these two people are talking and they're leaving the service and they knew this loved one and they're like, man, I was there and I remember that boat being green, you know what I mean? But in the memory, it was like red. In the actual footage, it was red. So try to remember all that to say you and I are like, we're gonna, I'm excited to see, well, we're gonna like, we're gonna put the full picture together between the two of us, right? Like it's gotta be semi-accurate. I'm not sure about that one, my friend. It's gone, it's gone, it's done. All right, so with that, enough further ado. So Tracey, where's home for you, where are you from? I live in Nine Mile Falls, which is not far from Spokane, but far enough away from it that I would never move back. Pretty much lived in this area my whole life. Moved here when I was two, so I don't really have much recollection before that, but yeah. See, I get to discover things about you too as we go. And so in the meantime, obviously we've established since you and I graduated together, you are a nurse of some sort, right? have you gone back for any further degrees? We've already established that we obtained our associate's degree end of 2006. I've mentioned that many times. What have you done since then? you had any other degrees? And if so, when have you gotten them and where have you gotten them from? Well, after we graduated in 2006, I was determined that I was never going back to school. That was it for me. And then I just got this crazy wild hair in about 2019 thinking, maybe I should just go back and get that bachelor's degree. I know. So I made the move in 2019, went back and got it at WGU. Yeah, night owl. Fellow Night Owl, yes my friend. So, and then after that I was like, I am never going back to school again. I don't need any more degrees. And then now I've got this crazy hair again and I'm thinking, I might just go back and go to FNP school. So why not? You know, I'm not getting any younger. Well, I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell you right now. Everybody already knows you and I have been out of school for 18 years. have an adult, official adult nursing career now. They're 18 years old and you don't look older than back. Like, know what I mean? you guys, talking on that, cause I call the Honored Guests before and we get everything set up and all the things. And I'm like, Tracey, like your voice takes me right back to nursing school, you know, to those days. And I'm like, you haven't, you haven't aged a minute. You're fine. That's awesome. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. So also we're going to, we're going to stroke each other's ego for the next 30 minutes. That's great. Okay. So with that, uh since I know exactly what nursing school you went to, uh what three words would you use to describe nursing school? My three words are challenging, rigorous, and rewarding. amazing. don't know how those are applicable, but we'll find out at the end of your episode. uh And also my mean mean question, what are your three favorite songs in life right now? Yeah, that was a tough one, because I am one of those people that listens to everything. Like, I'll listen to jazz, country, classical, and I'm like, I can't pick three songs. So after some deep thought, I picked three songs that elicit strong emotions in me. So the first one is Strawberry Wine by Deanna Carter. I'm not sure if you've heard it. Kind of reminds me of my youth. It's like a simpler time and the freedom that comes with starting out in life. That sounds awesome. And just so you know, like this is more of a vanity project than anything else. Like I love discovering new music. And so this is just my way of like, okay, what do you listen to? It's like human Spotify, everybody, human Spotify. Okay, the next one is probably not one you're gonna want to add to your playlist, Eric, just so you know. Yes, yes. So the song is Enchanted by Taylor Swift. I just don't see you listening to that one. But the reason I chose it is because it reminds me of my daughter when that album came out. She was really young and we would play it super loud in the car and just sing it at the top of our lungs. And I had the pleasure of coming full circle. I was able to see it live with my daughter in Seattle and it was just such a core memory. Such like an amazing moment that was for me. So had to choose that one. And then the last one is called Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts. And that one's kind of a symbol of my life. Like many wrong turns that I've taken, lots of failures along the way, but it's all led me to where So there you go. You can add at least one of those onto your playlist, I'm sure. no, they're all going on there. And so by the time this comes out, everybody, by the time this comes out, there uh should be, I swear there has to be by the time this comes out, there will be a Feeding Our Young Spotify playlist. So it'll just have all the songs that everybody's adding to the playlist and hopefully it'll ever grow or we'll make more than one volume. don't know, whatever the case may be. I'm not quite sure how Spotify works in that regards. I don't know if anybody wants a six hour playlist. So why not is the right answer. Why not? All right, so with that, have received my patient's consent. I can administer one final quiz for you, correct? The patent not pending, unofficial, feeding our young personality quiz. Are you ready to take this quiz, Ms. Tracey? All right, five questions, five questions. You can rapid fire the answers, you can give rationale if you feel compelled, but here they are in no particular order. First of all, would you rather have the ability to fly or breathe underwater? That's why. Are you Team Pie or Team Cake? Ooh, definitely pie. Oh, a stronger answer on that one. Would you rather instantly learn a new language or an instrument? language. eh You have been gifted a time machine. Congratulations. Are you going to go back in time or are going to go see the future? I'm gonna go back. And that's a preview of what's happening today, folks. We're going back in time. And the last question is Wham's song titled Last Christmas, actually a Christmas song. you asked my daughter, she'd say yes, it's her favorite. I'm gonna go with All right, then your daughter is welcome on this show. Tracey, it's been nice having you. If you want to bring her, no, absolutely, that's fantastic. And the results are in. You're amazing. Congratulations. Yay. No, it's just I love the fun little icebreakers we get to, you know what I mean? How do you get to know somebody through five questions like that? But it has been intriguing to me to see where people lie on certain issues, right? We're so dev- you anything about my personality type? Everything. Yes, it tells you that you are amazing. Oh, that's it. We can have our own instead of like Enneagram and all that business. You know what mean? Like it'll be like the feeding our young like we'll have letters for each of the questions. OK, enough of that business. Let's talk about Tracey. And I like to kind of start off getting to know Tracey the person will have plenty of time to talk about Tracey the nurse and or nursing student. We're going to be talking a little bit more about that than we probably would or should. But in the meantime. What are your hobbies and interests, Miss Tracey? Well, let's see, love, I come alive in the summer. So it's kind of a joke around here that in the winter I kind of hibernate. I don't have a lot going on because I don't like the snow. But in the summer, we are lucky enough to live down by the lake. So I paddleboard whenever I can. I love to go boating. Love to go hiking with my dogs. We recently got a camper, so we have some property up. North and I love to go up there. I would go up there every weekend if I could, but my husband doesn't want to do that. But I get up there as much as I can. I used to run, but you know age has really played its toll here. So recently I've picked up strength training. So I'm really enjoying that. And then probably my most favorite hobby is traveling. I love to travel. Yeah. through you. Where have you traveled? Where are some of your favorite places? well I'm trying to get all 50 states in. I still have a few to go, but I have 12 to go. And I'm working on the countries. I've got a huge bucket list. I've been to seven countries now. Including? Let's see, we'll start with the easy ones. Canada, Mexico, been to Ireland, France, Switzerland, Costa Rica, most recently Costa Rica, and then the Bahamas too. Oh my gosh, that's amazing. Is this like, are these solo ventures you and your hubby? Like is it family? Like what do you get? Mixture thereof. I will travel with anybody that will go with me. My husband has told me he'll go on one trip a year. So I get one with him. And then my daughter is 17. I'm hoping she'll be my travel buddy when she's an adult. We have hosted exchange students over the years. So we have lots of countries to visit with exchange students. Got a free place to stay if I can just make it there. Oh. So yeah, mean, will just, will try, I wish I could get paid to travel and not have to work, you know, when I get there, because there's so much. to travel, I'll get paid to run. Ladies and gentlemen, this is how we're ending nursing careers today. It's fantastic. No, I'll hook you up with my wife. She would, my gosh, she loves traveling. I'm a little bit more of a homebody, but I wanted to travel more before all is said and done, for sure. So you already talked about your daughter. Talk about your family, whatever you wanna share there, including your fur babies that you already talked about briefly. Let's see, so I have two biological children. My son is 21 and he's off in Georgia at Georgia Tech. He is going to school to be an aerospace engineer and he's in his junior year there. So, and he's there on a scholarship with the Space Force. So when he graduates, he will work for the Space Force. Okay, I will not make any jokes, and especially at your sudden suspense. The Space Force though! Like, now... Can you enlighten me? What is the Space Force? uh Was it... I can't remember if it was created during Trump's first term or if it had existed prior to. Well, he got a lot of funding for it on his first term. So my son is super smart, like total nerd. And when he tries to explain stuff to me, I just sit there with this look on my face, like, what are you even talking about? But so his biggest thing is he really wants to be part of the development of ion propulsion. Do you know what that is? You're super smarter. You probably. Yeah. instead of using a fuel to power the rockets, they will use ions. And so with that form of technology, they could travel endless, endless miles. he's really into that. Like I said, he's in his junior year there and really thriving. He's going to be doing an internship in Seattle this summer. And then my baby, Teagan, is 17 years old and she's a junior in high school and she's doing running start this year. So she's kind of like trying to figure out her path which is totally normal at this age. Tristan had to figure it out you know before he even entered high school but most kids don't. And then I have a stepdaughter Jenna who's also a junior this year and I have two step sons with their grown and kind of doing their own thing. And then like I said, we've hosted exchange students. We have numerous pseudo-daughters throughout the world. my gosh. Like, if you don't mind sharing, like how many exchange students have you had and kind of whereabouts are they? Yeah, we've had seven total. So we started, our first exchange student was from Spain, and then we've hosted from Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and then our last one was from Norway. That's amazing. Oh, well that is so cool. I, I haven't made to any of their countries yet, believe it or not. I know, I was supposed to go to Spain and then COVID, I got COVID the week before I was supposed to go. Yes, in 2019, so it was when they were making you test before you fly. So I tested positive and I had to cancel the whole trip. first year, it was that, 2020, was it 2020? Yeah. I was like going, dang, you got COVID in 2019? Yeah. Nobody was flying. So flights were just super cheap and I was willing to take that chance. I didn't even make it. So someday, someday I'll make it though. There it is, you've heard it here first. Aspirations, goals, we always have to have them, right? So with that, let's talk a little bit about nursing here. And before we unpack our memories, let's talk about pre the time we met. Like how did you end up in nursing? Why did you choose nursing? What did... high school Tracey look like and was this something you always wanted to do or where did it come into play for you? You know, it wasn't always my path. I really, I was kind of one of those people who graduated high school and I wasn't, didn't even think I really liked school. So went on and did a couple years of college just to appease my parents. uh But really didn't, I mean, I wasn't focused. I got an AA degree just to see what I could do with that. Kind of thought I might go into marketing, um but obviously that never manifested. But my mom was a nurse my whole life. So I always knew the flexibility that nursing provided, the stability that it provided. And it just was something that was kind of always part of my childhood, my youth. And so it really piqued my interest. And so when I finally buckled down and started doing my prerequisites, it was like, okay, it's time to focus. And yeah, that's where I met you, Eric, was in my brain. Eric was at microbiology. I don't even want to think about that. but we will, but we will. uh No, and listen everybody, do you hear in her voice the please don't make me go back there? It's rough for all of us, it just is. Everybody has their strengths, their weaknesses, and they have those parts of prereqs in nursing school that you're like, they just make your butt. And so it doesn't matter. We're both 18 years out 20 years out of pre-reqs maybe you know I don't know how many you had to take having your a a coming into it, but Golly, and we're still going. my gosh. I don't want to I don't want to talk about that I don't I don't want to remember that oh Well, so no, but you you made me think of something else and so here's a question for you because I'm putting this is family math together You know you said You went and got your AA, you're kind of figuring life out and I'm gonna be one, I'm gonna be honest, I'm super glad it took you a while to figure it out because otherwise I never would have met you. ah But on the flip side of that, you said your daughter is similar, doing similar things, your mom was a nurse, you were a nurse, is there any chance that she looks at you and goes, I wanna be a nurse or has she ruled that out already? No, no, she would not make a good nurse. Yeah Did I say that on live air? I-I-I-I- uh is not, that's just not her personality. She's a funny kid, but I mean, she wants to be an entrepreneur of some sort. I could see her going off doing her own thing one day. But definitely don't think I'll have a nurse in the family. I just was curious because I'm like, you know, because you don't know until you know, sometimes for some of us and that's, you know what mean? It's not like I grew up going, I can't wait to become a nurse. Nope, never entered the, you know, never entered the thought process. So no, that's awesome. So, all right, so where we first met, let's just dive into a little bit of memory making here just for a second. So. um Yeah, microbiology, that was the first class, right? Those prereqs, I remember that. I mean, I do remember prereqs, you and I, that's where I met you. And if I recall correctly, was it for that class or a different one, we had a study group, right? Yeah, and there were, because I remember, and I'm so sorry to anyone who is somehow stumbling upon this, that was part of our study group. But I remember there were a few of us, we had upwards of like six, seven, or eight. And at our greatest point and the only one that I'm remembering by name besides you was Darren because Darren ended up not being in our nursing class He was pre-req, but he's now a nurse and works in the ICU and all the things and so every once in while I'll pass him still to this day. Well, not since I became day shift. I think only on night shift I'd pass him in the parking garage. He'd be leaving I'm coming and it was like Darren, how you doing buddy? We give each other a hug. He's like, I'm doing great. Oh, wonderful. And then that's it, we're out. So, but no. um Is Kara in our, she was in our microbiology, wasn't she? No. Okay. were like bosom buddies in nursing school. so maybe you were kind of bosom buddies before that. I don't know. I just, don't remember. Like I said, it's kind of one of those memories you block out. You're like, I just never want to remember this again. microbiology was not fun. That was not fun. Oh my gosh. But um... A and P over microbiology any day. listen to that. Why? Why would you do that? Why would you? What's the difference? For those that are prospective students listening. I really enjoyed learning about the body and all the different muscle systems and bones and all of those things and kind of being able to see it and touch it in the lab. Whereas microbiology, it's just, a mic, I don't know, it's much smaller level. My brain does not focus like that. I just really struggled with the micro level. anatomy and physiology, at least, you know, I think one of the big differences there for those that are thinking about going to nursing school and happen to hear this, but the big difference is in A &P, it's a lot of rote memorization, right? Like, you just have to know what things are. And that is an oversimplification, people. Like, there are so many, so many things you have to know in anatomy and physiology. And I was bummed because we never gonna remember it all 20 years later. Let me just tell you that right now. If I had to take that test now, I'd be like, I have no idea what both of that is. But I remembered it for the test, so that's all I'll do. Yeah. that was it. Because I remember making like little flashcards in my notebook and this is... Maybe not a good tip for anyone out there, but I would have that on the seat, the passenger seat next to me, because the job that I was working, again, going to school later in life, right? I worked full time, and I had to drive between clinics to do auditing of various things, and on these drives, I would have my little note cards. And so, right, this is pre- kind of huge cell phone, everybody. So, little note cards, and you just like, and I flash one up real quick, and I'd like, okay, memory, and I'd just say it. over and over and over again and do all the things. And that's how I memorized it. I don't know. Any tips or tricks that you remember from any of your prereqs for anybody that happens to be listening. tips or tricks. I had to go, I remember going to Barnes and Noble before all the tests and I would sit there, I would like, you know, use their books for free because I wasn't going to buy them all. I had my book, but then I would kind of get other books that would have the same topic and I would use all these books to just sit there and study. And it was just like I really needed to find a place outside my home because it was like when I'm home my brain just can't really focus on the studying. you know you just kind of have to separate yourself. So a coffee shop or for me Barnes and Noble was just I spent so many hours there. Yeah, and because you had, you did, you had, you had small child at the time, not, not yet children. was, well he was three when I graduated. So he was little throughout all of nursing school. So how did you do that? How do you manage as a mom of young children or young child or whatever the case may be, how did you manage that while trying to get through all these rigorous classes? my gosh, I asked myself that now. But at the time it was just kind of like, I have to do this. But I don't know if you remember this or not. so I had, gosh, it took so long to get through all those prerequisites. And then you were kind of like, you didn't know if you were gonna make it onto that round of nursing, because they only picked so many people. And so I found out that I was getting in in that spring start. And I was so excited and whatnot. And then, I ended up, so we started nursing school, I remember our first clinical was at a long-term care facility. And I ended up finding that I had malignant melanoma on my foot. Do you remember this? And so. let me let me to be clear I remembered it after I saw it on your thing because you know you wrote a couple things ideas and I was like my gosh I totally forgot about that so keep going Yeah, so we had just started nursing school. I had this irregular mole that I had removed from my left foot and I didn't think anything of it. It had been there since I was born as a birthmark. get this phone call and they were like, we need to get you scheduled for surgery right away. We have to remove this. And I had just started nursing school and I was like, well, can we wait for my break? I just started nursing school and they were like, no, we need to do this immediately. And so I went in, I had part of my left arch removed. I had a wound vac on my foot and they had taken a skin graft from my groin and had placed it on the arch of my left foot and obviously no weight bearing. So I remember thinking to myself, like I have a, I guess he would have been two, maybe one and a half at the time, and I'm in nursing school and they want me to be non-weight bearing. Yeah, right. Yeah. So I was non-compliant from the beginning, just like so many patients are. And I just remember hobbling through those clinicals at long-term care and just, you know, it was like, I don't have a choice. I worked way too hard to get in. I'm not gonna stop now and wait and hope I get in the next round. I'm just gonna push through and I'm gonna do it. And so I ended up losing the skin graft on my left foot. No! it died because I was a non-compliant patient. to this day, like I have, you know, really no arch to my left foot, which made it really fun when I decided to be a runner. And it's just kind of one of those things. just, you don't put a lot of thought into it in the moment. You just, you know, focus and you get through. And part of that speaks to your grit though too, right? Your resilience. mean, again, maybe if that same scenario plays out now, 18, 20 years later, you know what mean? Maybe it's a different story. Who knows? When we're younger, even though we weren't young young, but we were definitely younger than we are today. You know what mean? We were, you're young enough that sometimes that ignorance is bliss or that determination or whatever the case may be. So like, yeah, please you guys. Like sometimes you just have to get through it, right? Like that's kind of the takeaway from this, yeah? that's right. mean, in the moment it's like, how am going to do this? But you do. You just take one day at a time and then you look back 20 years later and it's like, yeah, I I made it through. And I've used that in my life a lot, like when things feel really hard and it's like, okay, but I did this so I can get through anything. Yes, past experiences like booning and using those as fuel for future success. I love that. Okay, Tracey, I'm looking at the time and I'm thinking we're gonna just pivot here real quick and turn you into a double episode. Is that all right with you? Awesome, so it's no less time or no real more time on your front end there as far as like that. So you guys aren't gonna wanna miss part two of the Tracey, maybe the part one will be the Tracey Sheppard experience. and part two will be the Tracey's Zehm experience. And then people will be like, yeah, and then people will be like, wait, what? Yes, we're delving into both personalities of Tracey. This was the jovial one. Just wait for the second episode. Just kidding. No, but don't miss it. So we are gonna do some more reminiscing. We're gonna jump right into our memories of our nursing school and see what we can pull together for you all to be like. Holy crap, like it really is like timeless. There are some things about nursing school that are just 100 % timeless. And then we'll talk about Tracey's nursing progression, what she did with that education, and where she's going, as she's already alluded to. So, you ready to make the flip to the B side there Tracey? All right, Tracey Sheppard out, Tracey Zehm getting ready to come in.