I PASSED!!!!!!

This is a picture of me with my class!

That's right ladies and gentlemen! I PASSED! I am now officially a Registered Medical Assistant. Well the paperwork has to go through the Association for Medical Technologists first. But technically since I passed, it is all just a waiting game for me to get my card from them. I passed the University's course and the all of the exams. Thank God.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) I have an EXTREMELY important job interview. If you all could keep me in your thoughts around noon time (Eastern) that would be so wonderful. It would be working for an ophthalmologist. Actually three eye surgeons. It would be a mult-tasking job as a Medical Assistant/Scribe for the doctors/Surgical Technician/Surgical Counselor and I would also get certified to be a ophthalmology technician. It would involve more schooling. But this would be paid schooling. Please keep your fingers crossed. I don't want to get my hopes up too high though.

Apparently, I'm Very Gentle...

I did it!! Twice so far. I've drawn blood from my "blood buddy" lab partner & friend Jessica and my other classmate & friend Melanie. They BOTH said they didn't feel a thing. I'm actually quite impressed with myself because I really thought I wasn't going to like doing it. I think it is actually cool. I make it into a game. Find The Vein. Jess' vein was pretty prominent. Mel is a hard stick. Her veins aren't as visible as Jess' are. But, I got her with one stick! My biggest fear was hurting them and they both said I didn't. Very cool. We have to do at least 3 more for our license. We're actually going to do more though for the practice.

Today is my husband Larry's 40th birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY! I got him a cake. We are actually going to celebrate tomorrow because he is off. I feel bad. He worked the graveyard shift last night and tonight. So tomorrow he will be exhausted. His hours truly suck.

If you can all say a prayer for my lab partner & friend Jessica. She was involved in a car accident yesterday right after school and it totaled her car. She was banged up pretty badly. The air bag deployed and hit her in the throat. Her arm has a huge gash on it, and her knee is pretty bruised up. Luckily no broken bones. She is just very sore. I turned off to go onto a different route right before it happened. Luckily Melanie was a few cars behind her and was able to stop and be with her until the cops & EMTs got there. This just happened at a very bad time. Her Mom is having a double masectomy on Monday. When it rain, it pours. (By the way, this is a new pic of me with Jess...We were trying to make weird faces. I succeeded. Got my blonde highlights back too)

I've been quiet because I have been so busy with school, hospice, homework, and papers. In June I'll be able to breathe again but then it will be Operation Job Hunt.

Hope you all enjoy your Easter weekend for those that celebrate.

Skin Punctures and Exam Results!

Are you all sitting down? See, I'm glad I was sitting down in our side classroom when my teacher gave me the results of my two exams because I really could have passed out. I seriously thought I just made it with a passing grade. I had no idea that I actually got TWO 100s!!!! When she showed them to me, the first question out of my mouth was, "Are you serious?" I always am so hard on myself. I am like St. Thomas who was a doubter.

Guess what today was!! My first needle prick! Ok, the technical term is: my first skin puncture!!! It was actually fun! This is what the lancet looked like. Not bad huh? Many of you may have seen these in your own doctor's office when they prick your finger. Alot of offices have the ones that have a trigger. We had to learn the old fashioned manual way so we will always be prepared. I have to do a certain amount with my lab partner/blood buddy Jessica. I stuck her only once. Tomorrow I think I am doing it twice. I couldn't believe I wasn't even nervous. There is a technique of doing it. It's all in the wrist. LOL AND...get this...she said I didn't hurt her.

Speaking of Jessica. Meet her. She is my heart. I am so glad that she is my lab partner. She is a great person. And, she didn't hurt me today. So she got points for that. Her and I have bonded in the past three months. As many of you know, I lost my Mom to lung cancer when I was 18yrs old. Jessica is only 19yrs old. Her Mom has breast cancer. So we have this connection. I kinda took her under my wing. She is a beautiful and strong young woman. God put us together for a reason. Plus, she gets ALL my jokes and constantly says, "Jodi, you're out of control!" Gee, wonder what gives her that impression. Hehehe

Guess what we start tomorrow?!?!?! VENIPUNCTURE. Phlebotomy. I'm going to actually draw blood. This time last year I was managing the travel agency. Closest thing I got to a sharp object was adding staples to the stapler or using a box cutter to open up a box of blank e-tickets. Lord have mercy on mine and Jessica's soul. This is what the needles/blood vacuum look like. I. Can. Do. This.

Lastly, did someone ever take a picture of you and you didn't even recognize yourself? I don't know if it is the weight loss or what. But, I don't think this looks like me. I'm not used to the new me yet. I know. I'm weird. LOL

School Daze

Yay! I'm officially in school now! I can't even believe it. Below is a picture of me on my first day. What a nerd I am to capture the moment! You can't really see much of my maroon scrubs. It is hard when you are taking the photo yourself. LOL! Larry wasn't home from work yet when I left in the morning.

I started school on Monday. It was really great. It is SO weird to be there though. I never experienced the college atmosphere so it weirded me out a little bit...like..."I'm actually doing this". You know what I mean? I never thought I would be able to do it. It makes me happy yet it scares me too. I just want to do well. I got my books and they weigh a ton...I actually put my bookbag on the scale and it weighed almost 16 pounds. Hard to believe that I used to carry more than a hundred pounds plus on my body and I'm complaining about 16 pounds of books. LOL!

We already got homework. I have a paper due as well as a huge reading assignment along with workbook pages to complete. Fun, fun!

Good News For Once!

I received a call on Tuesday morning from the lady at the Grant Office. Remember I said that she was going to put me on the appointment cancelation list? She asked me if I could come this past Thursday (yesterday)! So my appointment got moved from October 16th to September 17th! What a huge blessing! I had all my paperwork in order. The only thing I had to do was go to my high school and get a copy of my transcript. It was funny because my husband works nights so I asked him to come with me on Wednesday to pick it up. I can't even tell you how surreal it was for me to be in there after 19 years, with Larry no less. I just think back to when I was there, I could never fathom the thought of bringing my husband back years later. How weird it was! He said that the school is stuck in a 1970s time warp. Whatever!

So anyway, I went on yesterday to the interview and guess what?!?!?!?! I am eligible for the grant!!!! All I have to do now is pass an assessment test next Friday. It is a 3 hour long test! Good Lord Almighty. I'm scared to tell you the truth. I feel so out of my league. I mean last year I took writing classes, but this is different. This is college. My stomach hurts just thinking about it.

The real good news in all of this is that I will more than likely be able to start school on October 26th. I am SO excited. It is a blessing to me, really. It is like I was given a second chance. Getting laid off may have been a blessing in disguise because I was really not happy being a travel agent. I just went through the motions daily. Plus, the commute was killing me. I want to be passionate about my job. I want to help people and maybe be able to give that person the smile that they need to not be nervous or be a calming effect to them. I don't know. I just know I didn't have a purpose before. Does that make sense?