[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 51 (Monday, March 31, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H2508]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING KATHLEEN TEX MILAMI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Ose) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. OSE. Madam Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I would 
like to join members of the Congressional Caucus for Women's issues in 
recognizing the accomplishments of women and the outstanding 
contributions they have made to our country.
  I would like to take this opportunity to honor an extraordinary woman 
from my district, Kathleen ``Tex'' Milami, for her 60 years of 
dedicated service as a registered nurse working in a number of 
hospitals throughout the country. On her 81st birthday on February 27 
of this year, Tex celebrated another momentous occasion, her 
retirement, marking the end of her exceptional 60-year career as a 
nurse, 30 years of which were spent at Mercy's Sacramento birthing 
center facilities as a labor and delivery nurse.
  Tex began nursing at the age of 18, studying for 3 years at Parkland 
Hospital in Dallas, Texas. In 1945 she began working in various 
hospitals in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, specializing in labor and 
delivery nursing. In 1972 she moved to the Sacramento area, working 
first at the Birthing Center at Mercy American River Hospital just down 
the street from where I live, and then in 1995 moved with the birthing 
center to Mercy's San Juan Hospital where she spent the remainder of 
her career. After 30 years of distinguished service, she has become 
something of a legend among her co-workers and patients in the 
Sacramento area and has seen many changes in birthing techniques and 
technology over her career.
  When asked what sets Tex apart from other nurses, her co-workers said 
that they are amazed at her willingness to embrace advances in 
technology. Not only was she open to change, she became an expert in 
learning these new techniques, enrolling in classes to learn the proper 
applications, and then acting as a proctor to other nurses, teaching 
them those same techniques.
  In her career, Tex has seen fetoscopes replaced by fetal monitors, 
the emergence of epidurals and improved pain medications, the 
introduction of the LaMaze technique, and the advent of homestyle 
deliveries where labor and birth take place in one room, and family 
members are welcome.
  In her own words, ``You tell me there is a new way of doing 
something, and I want to learn how to do it and do it well. As long as 
you arrive at the same destination, it just does not matter how you get 
there.''
  Among her co-workers, Tex's commitment to her job, her enthusiasm and 
her devotion to her patients, acts as an inspiration to other nurses. 
Tex retired in order to keep a promise to her husband Frank that she 
would retire at age 81. This remarkable and energetic woman says that 
even at age 81 she was not ready to retire and that 81 came too soon. 
In all that she has experienced, Tex said the hardest part of it all 
has been to retire.
  Madam Speaker, I wish to acknowledge Tex for her myriad of 
contributions to the nursing profession and to the Sacramento area 
families whose lives she has touched with exceptional attention and 
care to birthing mothers and her eagerness to improve the experience of 
all her patients.
  Kathleen ``Tex'' Milami emerges not only as a leader in her field, 
with an established and respected career, but also at 81 years of age, 
is a role model for all women.
  I am honored to recognize her and all her accomplishments for Women's 
History Month and would like to wish her the very best in her 
retirement.

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