Autobiographical Sketch of Tucker Sheehan
TUCKER SHEEHAN - I left the seminary after 1st theology. Difficult
decision but I didn't feel my beliefs would fit in and had already
experienced in parishes the struggle between the pre-Vatican priests
and those of us that embraced vatican 2. So my journey then lead to
being a conscientious objecter. Two years pushing bed pans at St.
Mary's hospital in the city was eye openning experience. After that I
started to apply to graduate schools in psychology. I was fortunate
that I was accepted at the California School of professional psychology
in San Diego. I graduated with my Ph.D. in july of 1977. I was a little
stressed about finding a job , but was lucky enough to get 9 job
offers. I ended up taking one at the Veterans Administration Hospital
in Reno, Nv. which included being a assistant professor At the
University of Nv. Medical school in the dept. of psychiatry and
behavioral sciences. It sounds weird a CO working at the VA, but I
found it rewarding running the POW mental health program , seeing
Vets with PTSD , and multiple other programs.
I had met 
a
women in San Diego and ended up getting married. It was over 3-4 years.
So divorced I continued to start to date were I learned a lot more
about relationships. I eventually met my present wife Evie, and was
married in 1983. She had a son 2 years old so instant family. My son is
now 32, married with 1 child born Nov. of 09. Evie is my present wife
and we struggled through many miscarriages and low and behold at age 40
and 41 we two daughters born eighteen months apart. It was quite a
miracle. Katie, the oldest was born with brain damage but Cara was
fine. Katie is now 23 and still trying to find her place in the world.
At present she is living with us and working a seasonal job at Tahoe.
She has left and returned a few times, but thank God she is OK. Cara
graduated from University of Nevada, Reno and will start her student
teaching in the fall. She wants to be a lawyer who teaches
constituional law, but I encouraged her to get her teaching credential
first before applying to law school. She got interested in constutional
law when as senior in high school in AP government she partcipated in
WE the People where they study the constitution and defend their
beliefs being questioned by lawyers and judges. They competed
against other high schools and first won Northern Nv. , then all of nv.
and went to washington d.c. and went against the winning schools from
all 50 states. They ended up 11th out of 50 groups. It was way cool as
this little high school of 300 students got that far.
At 63 to have daughters so young is a challenge, but one I gladly
accept. I left the VA in 1997 as they wanted to downside. I was ready
and they gave me health insurance and a pension we might to able to
live in Honduras on. I am lucky to have the insurance as seven years
ago I got prostate cancer and had to have major surgery. In the past
two years I have been in the hospital first for one stent and then last
year I needed another for my heart. 6 days later my appendix burst so
back to hospital for surgery and antibiotics so I wouldn't die.
Needless to say I am alive and knock on wood have not been in the
hospital this year. All the gods and godesses have surely been with me.
Evie is an R.N. but she is a little tired of me being a freqent flyer
to the hospital. I work full time--two days in Incline Village and 3
days in Carson City. Lucky for me I just sit on arse and just use my
brain. I'm feeling pretty good at the moment but sure do understand the
Buddist concept of living in the now. So in closing I feel pretty damn
fortunate. God must want me around and that is cool as my daughters
still need me-or at least my checkbook. I hope all of friends from the
seminary days are living in the now and seeing the beauty of life. PAX
VOBISCUM tsheehan00@aol.com