Finished

Rob.  Bob.  Dave.  This was Dave's graduating endo class.  A few months before "graduation" (going to dinner with all the faculty and staff but no caps, no gowns, no parents or kids invited--not my choice of how to celebrate such hard work, but it wasn't my choice) the director of the program changed the date of the  dinner.  That date didn't work for us, we had already planned on moving by then.  So they changed it again, but that date didn't work for Bob, he already had set plans.  So Dave, Rob, and Bob decided it was all of them, or none of them for the dinner.  If they all couldn't be there, they weren't going to have a big celebration dinner with all the faculty and staff.  The three musketeers. Six weeks before the dinner, Rob suffered a brain hemorrhage. Since Rob couldn't attend the graduation dinner, Bob and Dave decided there would be no dinner. Instead, Rob and his amazing wife Mercedi, Bob, Dave and I went to dinner together.  This was Rob's first time leaving the hospital in 45 days.

Rob and Mercedi.  Power couple.  They have been through so much, and are such amazing people.  Dave and Rob became really good friends.  Spending 12 hours a day with someone for over two years, especially when there are only three people in your class, has a way of solidifying your friendship.  While the last month of Dave's residency was the easiest academically, it was probably the hardest month emotionally of our whole married life.  It was hard to watch such an amazing family have to endure so much.  In our 10 years of marriage I have seen Dave cry probably five times, one of them being for Rob and Mercedi.

The whole clan, minus Bob's wife Meese.

Friday, September 30, 2011
The day finally came.  Seven years of school- prerequisites, dental school, endo residency, all completed.   Since Rob was able to leave the hospital, the faculty and staff put on a little lunch at the school to congratulate the graduates, and especially honor Rob and Mercedi.
I remember while I was driving into the school for the lunch thinking, "This is it." I was so proud of Dave.  He has worked so hard to accomplish this goal and has sacrificed so much to do so.  He is a great example of truly following your dreams, and doing what it takes to get there.  Like studying organic chemistry, and general chemistry in the paint room of our apartment complex and teaching himself all he needed to know to take the DAT.  He never took an organic or general chemistry class, but he taught himself so he could take the DAT.  After he took the DAT he took those courses at a community college (at night, while working full time) so he could meet the requirements to start dental school. He hadn't taken anatomy since 1992.  I am so amazed at what a disadvantage he had when starting dental school, and yet he worked so hard and did well enough to specialize.  The underdog pulled through.  That's my man.

It was a really neat experience being there.  The faculty and staff said very nice things about these guys. Then all the graduates (all three-ha!) went around and thanked those that helped them achieve this accomplishment.  So many nice compliments were passed.  When it was Rob's turn, there wasn't a dry eye in the place.  His story is truly remarkable, and we feel blessed to know them and learn from their example of strength and faith.
Congratulations Rob, Bob and Dave!