Dustin Charles Martinelli

The Story of my Life

Words that describe Dustin:
Empathetic, loving, sensitive, considerate, realizing he loved being a certified medical assistant, learning all he could and finally deciding, he would be a great nurse – to which his Mother heartily and ecstatically agreed

Favorite stories:
- Dustin’s delivery probably gave his young doctor PTSD when that doctor decided not to put on glasses/face shield/waterproof gown while examining Dustin’s mother during a particularly strong contraction. Dustin’s first practical joke.
- Ordering fireworks for the 4th of July-- he loved working for Pyro Dave…
- The first time he ate paella with shelled creatures – it was dark in the flamenco hall. He was traumatized when he bit into a small squid, then a shell and realized just what he was eating.
- Living among fireworks, New Year’s Eve in Rota, Spain. They would shoot the fireworks from the roofs of buildings surrounding the square. Beautiful and amazing doesn’t describe the experience. Dustin was everywhere among the sparkling lights.
- Wearing Unit, his cat, as a hat around the house. No one has ever looked as disgusted as that cat.
- Traveling to Germany at Christmas and exploring churches and historical buildings with his Mom and her coworker and friend, Lori. Lori loved taking pictures and her constant exclamations of “oh, isn’t this the most precious thing” just about did him in.

Some significant accomplishments:
Figuring out how to raise that Right Eyebrow at an early age.
Graduated high school in 2006
Attended Everest College to become a medical assistant
Selected as an “Igniter” Ambassador to serve as a role model and mentor for other students
Graduating as a medical assistant and achieving certification
Finding employment immediately following college at the Seattle Vascular Center
Realizing that he loved working with patients and staff in the Urology Clinic

Occupation:
Certified Medical Assistant with The Doctor’s Clinic Urgent Care in Poulsbo, WA

Personal activities:
Work, sleep, caring for and messing around with his cats, baking and trying “interesting recipes,” getting slurpees at 7-Eleven, working/enjoying wood type (3D?) puzzles, driving his car, washing his car, going to Sonic : Vanilla Custard Concrete , made with Heath Toffee Pieces, Blue coconut slush, with or without ice cream…, obviously to the dismay of his doctor since his diet was atrocious, but at every appointment, she tried to change it, writing “less sugar, more vegetables – potatoes and corn do not count,” watching movies, playing video games, playing Dungeons and Dragons (?) after work with friends from work, talking with friends on his phone or online, listening to music, more sleep, making his sandwich for work, carefully placing it on a plate and taking a ginormis box of cling wrap to cover both sandwich and plate. We always thought that was the weirdest thing…

Favorite experiences:
Road trip with 3 friends – visiting the Grand Canyon, Crater Lake in Oregon and other places on the way
Trips to Canada to visit with a friend, Winona, and helping her move
Playing football overseas – of course he was the smallest guy out there
Visiting and enjoying other countries
Seeing old castles and cathedrals up close
Driving his car on a rambling trip from the West Coast to visit gaming friends across the country
Visiting Kat in New Jersey, getting food from Kat’s Mom who thought he was too skinny
Exposing his Father to Sonic’s pretzel dogs and chocolate gooey concoctions from everywhere
Being with Rachel/ not being with Rachel – it was complicated, he said

Favorite places to spend time:
In his room sleeping, playing online games and tormenting and being tormented by his 3 cats
Working as a Certified Medical Assistant anywhere except Seattle Vascular
Enjoying the discovery of finding, eating and sharing “delicious” food from everywhere, which was appalling to both Doc and Mom

Favorite Movies:
Lost in Translation
The Aquatic Life with Steve Zissou
Several anime as well

Favorite Flower:
Any type that he felt would make his Mother happy – Valentine’s, Mother’s, Birthday, Christmas or just because – no child was ever so thoughtful

Favorite Sayings:
Snap! (when someone topped him in a word battle)
“What did you bring me?”
Others, too numerous to accounting

Pets:
Unit, Cleo and Ozzie, his cat trio (all from Rota Spain) and now 15 years old
Gunnar – a rescue German shepherd, who we lost way too soon and just 3 weeks before Dustin
Logan – a loving, playful Boxer we adopted to keep Gunnar from getting too fat, which wasn’t possible since Gunnar was a “foodie” like Dustin.