My name is Jeruzelle De Vera. I was born in the Philippines on October 6, 1983, and raised in Vallejo, Ca. I graduated high school in 2001 at Jesse Bethel High School. Although dreaming of running around ER and saving lives as being a part of my everyday life, going to school to pursue that dream hardly crossed my mind. After high school, I decided to try out Fashion Merchandising as my major. After about 2 weeks of sitting in a textile and fashion merchandising class, I knew that it wasn’t the major for me. I decided to try out something on the other side of the spectrum-Nursing.

I remember shocking everyone in my family by saying “I’m going to be a nurse.” :)  I have spent the last 3 semesters working on my nursing prerequisites.  While working on my last prerequisites, I was diagnosed with borderline ovarian cyst and tumor. Honestly, I wasn’t concerned about my health when I found out I needed to have a major emergency surgery on February 2003, rather the first thing that popped in my mind was “oh no! I have to drop Microbiology!”  I had no choice, but to had to drop. I didn’t get accepted to any nursing school that I applied to because I was unable to finish those prerequisites.  I still decided to take Micro during the summer, and that’s when I had my blessing in disguise. I met an RT student who told me everything I needed to know about being a Respiratory Therapist and then decided to join the program.