Blue Skies and Long Runways - by Kathleen Lux (Paperback)

About the Book

A coming-of-age memoir about a young woman who joins the United States Air Force in 1977 to become a flight nurse and remains for thirty years, though she struggles with symptoms related to post-traumatic stress after a terrorist attack.

Book Synopsis

Kathleen Lux hails from a family lineage of proud military service, and joins the United States Air Force in 1977 to add, as she describes it, a little adventure to her life. Now retired as a colonel after thirty years in nursing -- often serving as a flight nurse -- Lux reveals how she is forced to grow up quickly if she hopes to remain, and excel, in the Air Force. In this coming-of-age collection of humorous, candid, and provocative vignettes, Lux holds nothing back as she recalls caring for patients immediately after a terrorist attack in Germany, handling an emergency egress from a burning aircraft, and even refusing a direct order from a four-star general. At times the weight of her decisions and the inescapable memories of what she's witnessed seems overwhelming. Not until Lux, herself, receives a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress does she allow the journey of self-forgiveness and healing to begin.

Review Quotes

"Each story in Kathleen Lux's memoir can stand on its own as a good read, yet the entire book provides a terrific portrait of an Air Force nurse who can write both hilarious and tragic stories that grasp one's imagination and illustrate a well-lived life."

Sylvia S Odom BM, MA, PhD, Retired. Chief, Adult Services. Henrico Mental Health Center. Richmond, Virginia

"This memoir is a great read that I was sorry to finish. It is a collection of humorous and sad stories framed around her military nursing career which will bring your emotions to the surface. To put herself out there for the world to see is courageous. At least one of her stories will stay in your memory long after you finish the last page."

Kathryn H., RNC, Retired. Certified in Maternal-Infant Nursing with 40 years of

hospital staff nursing experience

"In her memoir, Blue Skies and Long Runways, through heartwarming, moving, life-changing stories, Kathleen Lux celebrates her career as a woman, a nurse, and a colonel in the U.S. Air Force-which was quite an achievement in the '70s, '80s, and '90s!"

Barbara Joan Wiley, BS, MA, PhD, Retired. Teacher, trainer, and author