Having virtual graduation - would like creative way to honor my dad...

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Hello,

I've read things on here for years but never imagined I'd actually post something.

In 13 days, I graduate from an LPN to Diploma RN program. It's been one long year! Sadly, the vast majority of it has been under the shadow of my dad's serious illness post-surgery ( nearly 4 months in between CCU and Select Specialty) and passing. It was a huge blessing to be able to spend those extra 4 months with my dad, but it is heartbreaking to have him gone, of course. After his long ordeal and so much hope, he finally passed away from septic shock, which along with his SEVERE ITP, was just insurmountable that last time.

My dad was a long-time teacher on the high school side of the school where I was attending (I'm 48, LOL. No Spring chicken!). He was at the school when I went for my LPN in 2012. He was my very first flu shot and purposefully jumped and squealed like a baby to scare me. ? He was there for my first graduation. I wish with all my heart that he could have been here for this one.

It's not been an easy road because of this. Every time we attended clinicals in that hospital, I had to really concentrate on not thinking of how my dad was and where he was at the moment. After he passed (thankfully right before everything really blew up with Covid so we all got to be with him as he left this life and got to share our love for him WITH him...), it was especially rough going to the last several clinicals in the hospital in which I said goodbye to him. (In fact, I did NOT go one what would have been his 70th birthday. We had a small family memorial for him that day.)

So, now we're rapidly approaching the end of our hard work... We're having a simple virtual graduation and need to submit a picture of someone important to us pinning us... I have no idea who to choose. Of course, I have many near and dear, but ... Nothing feels right. My mom is a camera-phobe, so I won't put her on the spot. I just wish there was a creative way to honor my dad in this pic.

Does anyone have any ideas to share?

Thank you so much in advance!

Tracy J

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If you know somebody with some Photoshop skills, perhaps they can get a picture of your dad and photoshop it with yours to show him pinning you?

I've seen this type of photo done w/ members of the military. It's usually with the pregnant widow of the fallen soldier.

Just a thought...

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I would simply select a picture of the two of you together and personally wouldn't care that it didn't show the pinning.

You could lay your pin on the corner of the photo and take a photo of that if showing the pin is important to you.

I'm sorry you lost your father.

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Thank you so much Mergirlc and JKL33! Since I'm not skilled at Photoshop, although that would've been beautiful, I will borrow JKL's idea! I think I will use my graduation scrub top as the background and find a great pic of my dad (and use my nursing pic). Thank you again! Take care everyone! ?

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