Kathryn Diane Jacobs BSN

The Impalpable Scars of a Surgical Nurse

My name is Kathryn and I am lucky to have a second chance at this thing called happy ever after and I am letting my heart guide the way on this one. I am not usually one to express my emotions but this topic near and dear to my heart. Mental health concerns and nurse suicide is on the rise and I have zero tolerance for workplace violence especially in the operating room. My story is inspired by the song “YOU” by James Arthur that released in October 2019. The song found me at a pivotal time in my life and the lyrics greatly impacted my perspective regarding the trials and tribulations I have experienced in my life. My journey has been quite interesting but strangers would never realize the inner struggle I faced daily because I was wearing a mask to hide the pain I was truly experiencing. I am one of six children growing up in the small town of Murphysboro Illinois. My parents divorced before I reached the age of two and my mother moved out of state leaving me with my father. This caused me to have abandonment issues growing up and my home life was not stable. From the outside looking in on my family, no one would know the truth of what was going on inside my home. I did not let my home environment show through to others during my younger years. Learning quickly at an early age to transform my pain into power by taking a deep dive into sports and school activities taking my mind off of issues in my home environment.