ANNA MONICA / L’Observateur / May 24, 2000

It was a thrilling weekend of graduations. My darling niece Sunny got hermaster’s degree in speech and communication disorders at LSU, my darling nephew Nicholas got his high school diploma and my young “buddy” Dana Troxclair got her doctor of medicine degree from LSU.

On Friday I hurried to the arena at UNO for Dana’s pre-commencement ceremony. This was for the medical doctors only when the candidatesreceived individual awards, were “hooded” and took the Oath of Hippocrates.

The hood is the drape that has the colors of that particular discipline, green for medicine, as well as the school’s colors. After that I rushed off to LSU inBaton Rouge to see Sunny, also wearing a distinctive hood, get her special degree after six years of continuous college and, finally, later that same evening, joined members of my family at a St. Charles graduation party inDestrehan for Nicholas and others. That was a lot, but I still had Dana’sformal graduation the next day, so I went back to UNO’s arena on Saturday.

For Sunny, graduation was mostly a time which had come. She has pleased usvery much with her grades and the completion of her education, but she is more pleased than anyone else to finally have finished! I asked her if she was ready to go for her doctorate, and she asked me if I was crazy! Sunny will be working in Baton Rouge and planning her December wedding.

At the St. Charles party the feelings were mixed. Nicholas, whose athleticability had given us much pride and excitement for years, was the last athletic nephew to be graduated. It’s strange knowing that in the future youwill only go to the ballpark just because you want to. Seeing the kids grow upis kind of bittersweet, isn’t it? It was a pleasure and fun, though, as I watched at least six of my nephews get together at the party and enjoy each other’s company. I felt so very lucky to have them. Nicholas will be attendingUL – Lafayette in the fall.

It was my pleasure to get to meet another new young doctor from the River Parishes, Danielle Madere of LaPlace, daughter of the former Sandra Jacob, teacher at East St. John, and husband, Jimmy Ray. Danielle attended St. Joanof Arc and Dominican, with her undergraduate work being done at LSU before attending LSU Medical School. In spite of experiencing enormous adversity,with the support of her family this bright young woman went on to achieve, became president of the senior class and spoke at the pre-commencement on behalf of her class. The year before she was secretary of studentgovernment. She also received the Dean’s Award recognizing her grades andleadership and the Bobbie A. Millet award for her tireless efforts anddedication to the class of 2000. Danielle’s residency will be in pediatrics atLSU with her time being divided between Children’s Hospital and University Hospital.

Dana, daughter of Gloria and James of Gramercy, is special to me and has been my young buddy since she was 14 years old and my tennis partner.

Working with my brother, Frankie, and then with Coach Tim Detillier, for 10 years I was the girls’ counselor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Lutcher High School. Dana was my president in her senior year, and we wentto national conferences for several years. She went on to be graduated fromLSU, worked in the pathology department at LSU Medical in New Orleans and obtained her master’s while there. Determined and overcoming manyobstacles, Dana was accepted into medical school.

Now, she is Dana Troxclair, M.D., the same young woman who played tennistournaments with me, helped me work in my house when I first bought it, raked leaves with me, learned to drive in my car, taught my dog to sit and pretty much stayed by my side throughout the years. She is the same youngwoman who goes to church with me to pray for healing and who does all the driving when we go somewhere. She has been a devoted friend, but perhapsnever so devoted as last year when I had surgery and she would send my family home and not leave my side in the hospital. Late into the night shestudied for that all-important medical exam she needed to pass to graduate by using the light from the open bathroom door in my room. She also insistson being with me for this round of chemo.

Dana received the Pathology Award. Her residency will be at LSU. Her goal isto be a forensic pathologist and eventually a medical examiner. The party herparents gave for her Saturday night was great! She will succeed. She alwayshas. She deserves to.

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