Merrick Mitcham, Licensed Vocational Nurse, League City South Shore Primary Care
Working at UTMB since May 2023
What is the best thing about your job?
The best part about my job is building relationships with our patients and especially my co-workers and learning more every day.
What is the most challenging thing about your job?
Feeling helpless at times. As a nurse I’m there to help care for our patients, and sometimes the fix isn’t quick.
Is there anything about your job that surprised/surprises you?
How much I feel I am a part of the patient’s total care—even at Primary Care.
Who are your heroes?
My hero is my momma—she has always worked in health care full-time, taken care of my siblings and I and has such a big heart. Having a stepson and becoming a mother myself soon, I can now understand how hard it can be at times to juggle all of the things, but she always made it look so easy!
What is your favorite quote?
“Be fearless in the pursuit that sets your soul on FIRE.” (Jennifer Lee)
Describe your life in six words.
Organized chaos, love, family, adventure, appreciation.
What are three words that describe you?
Determined, thoughtful, outgoing/personable.
Tell us about your life outside of work.
I like to spend time with family and friends. We are always outside, whether it’s grilling and hanging out, muddin’—in the woods of East Texas or dirt roads—in our Jeep or fishing. I love experiencing new places and a good night with dinner and cards or a movie.
What is your favorite:
Book: “It Ends with Us” by Colleen Hoover
Color: Lilac
Movie: “Dirty Dancing”
Food: Grilled Chicken Four Cheese Ravioli
Song: “ Dirt Cheap” by Cody Johnson
What is the coolest thing (or a fun fact) about you?
My first time shore fishing in Galveston I caught a 40-pound Crevalle Jack fish about 3½ feet long. It was such a thrill!
What is a dream that you want to make come true one day?
Complete my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and continue my education toward my master’s degree.
What is a cause you’re passionate about?
Women and their battles with fertility.
When have you felt the proudest and why?
The day I found out my surrogate’s IVF transfer worked, first try. I put my blood, sweat and tears and so much love into the process leading up to that day, and it was such a proud moment, full of excitement and relief.
What is a favorite memory from childhood?
Being picked up early from school by my dad and singing songs at the top of our lungs on the way home.
What’s the best trip you’ve ever been on?
Our trip to Hochatown, Oklahoma. We took our Jeeps, explored the mountains, relaxed for four full days and just enjoyed the absolutely stunning scenery everywhere we drove and hiked.
Describe an experience that has had a lasting impact on you.
Our fertility/surrogacy journey has had a lasting impact on me. I have a huge appreciation for women struggling with fertility that want nothing but to be a mom.
What has been your most meaningful accomplishment so far?
Becoming a nurse.
What would you like to be remembered for?
Being a kind and helpful friend, co-worker, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, granddaughter, niece and nurse.
What are the things you can’t live without?
God, family and friends, coffee.
Describe a funny or unique experience that you’ve had.
I don’t have many funny experiences, but I feel blessed to be where I am in life uniquely gaining a child of my DNA—birthed by a gestational carrier. Loving life in the health field as an LVN!
If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
Italy—to stuff my face with the best pasta recipes ever!
If you could pick any superpower, what would it be?
I would choose the superpower of invisibility, of course, to know everything that is going on, without it ever being known I was there.
You’re planning a dinner party. What three people would you invite?
Patrick Swayze, so I can dance with him; Arizona Robbins (“Grey’s Anatomy”), to observe her fetal/neonatal surgery; Stevie Nicks, to jam out with her.