Ah, summer. There's nothing to do here, but I'll be damned if I don't busy myself with something. Last summer: property office and EMT school. This time around: Chemistry, TAing EMT school, and actually seeing people. And the endless, fruitless, search for work.
Chemistry! I've decided to be a Physician Assistant. I don't want to do the full-out med school thing. I want to work closely with patients. I want to work--in the Navy? I keep surprising myself with these things. But I'm taking my prerequisites and checking off the boxes for applications. It's like being in high school again, except it's for real this time. Applying to and attending a masters program means making a choice about what I want to do. There's no "undecided" major in PA school.
TAing! Like at Brandeis, but with money. I love it. I led my group in CPR on Sunday, becuase I had a wonderful lead instructor who was willing to let me take charge. It felt really good--everything came together. Considering going for I/C at some point.
Seeing people! Last summer, I would work, school, sleep, repeat. I saw Matt every two weeks if I was lucky. I went for a walk with my best friend the other night, had a few bonfires with the hometown crew (accompanied by a lovely phone call to my parents from the police--but nothing happened), late night meanderings around town, seeing that nothing really changed.
Job search! Blurgh. Harassing HR people at a few places. Trying to find somewhere that will take me per diem that I can access form Brandeis. Without a car. Options are severely limited. Also, the fact that PA programs require EMT work to be "more than just patient transfer" means that what I can do as a basic in the Boston area might not count. Looking at places that will train me as a CNA while I work for them, but it feels like a step back. Making beds and wheeling patients around and monitoring bedpans--they're important tasks, I know, but I'm already trained for so much more. The fact that CNA work counts but patient transfer doesn't bothers me. I can't change the system though, so all I can do is roll with it.
So that's my life. Matt and I are coming up on our 1.75 year anniversary and yes I still count the months. When I look at my life as of two years ago and how it is now, I can't help but be happy when each month rolls around.
PA people! Military medical professionals! CNAs! I'd especially love to hear what you have to say about all this. Leave a comment, if you're so inclined!
Showing posts with label people. Show all posts
Showing posts with label people. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
12 August, 2009. 8:21 AM.
I finished class (two weeks ago). Ignore the huge time gap--in spite of being done with class, I've still been busy, among other things.
Firstly, the night before class ended was ambulance night. I knew that Dan was going to be there on one of the trucks, but when we went outside to go to our assigned vehicle, I didn't expect to be assigned to his! The battery died, so we were sitting in the back of the ambulance, with no lights and certainly no AC. Howwever, that didn't stop us from getting a flashlight tour of the back, and it certainly didn't stop Dan from making jokes about Matt and I in front of my group. Being the attention whore that I am, I got a kick out of it. In a few words, we joked about getting the 'DEAD' triage tag for me to put on the doorknob of my room for certain situations. I was amused.
Flash to the next day! Exam time! I got a 100. The instructors were "not surprised" and did a little excited dance after they graded my exam. My comments sheet was all good things--I was very happy. Christine said that if I want to be an instructor, I should talk to her about getting into training. I'm definitely thinking about it--especially if BU comes to teach at Brandeis, which they should.
Went across the street to Sunset after with my classmates. Jesse and Brittany and I decided to start an EMS-themed bar, with drink sizes being No Neck, Short, Regular, and Tall. That was basically as far as we got. I left before the instructors came--needed to drive home and didn't want to fall asleep doing so.
So, I thought that not having class would make my life easier--wrong. I miss class. When I had it to look forward to, a bad day at work could end quickly. A few tears in the little park down Commonwealth and I'd go to FitRec and it wouldn't matter anymore. I could, strangely enough, be alone during lecture. I didn't have to interact with people.
Now, I go home, see my family (but lots of them are travelling), walk the dog, talk to Matt online, go to sleep. I know I've said this a million times, but work is killing me. I never used to have bad days like this--last night, for instance, I went to bed at 9:30 just because I wanted the day to end. I consider it a good day if I don't break down into a puddle during the day. And my family either doesn't care or doesn't understand. Like I'm making this up. Yes, I know we've all had bad summer jobs, I'm not saying that I'm the only one who's had this happen. But it's still made my significantly less happy. I feel like that should count for something.
Enough whining--I go back to school in 13 (!!!) days. I see Matt this weekend. I am done with this summer. I quit.
Firstly, the night before class ended was ambulance night. I knew that Dan was going to be there on one of the trucks, but when we went outside to go to our assigned vehicle, I didn't expect to be assigned to his! The battery died, so we were sitting in the back of the ambulance, with no lights and certainly no AC. Howwever, that didn't stop us from getting a flashlight tour of the back, and it certainly didn't stop Dan from making jokes about Matt and I in front of my group. Being the attention whore that I am, I got a kick out of it. In a few words, we joked about getting the 'DEAD' triage tag for me to put on the doorknob of my room for certain situations. I was amused.
Flash to the next day! Exam time! I got a 100. The instructors were "not surprised" and did a little excited dance after they graded my exam. My comments sheet was all good things--I was very happy. Christine said that if I want to be an instructor, I should talk to her about getting into training. I'm definitely thinking about it--especially if BU comes to teach at Brandeis, which they should.
Went across the street to Sunset after with my classmates. Jesse and Brittany and I decided to start an EMS-themed bar, with drink sizes being No Neck, Short, Regular, and Tall. That was basically as far as we got. I left before the instructors came--needed to drive home and didn't want to fall asleep doing so.
So, I thought that not having class would make my life easier--wrong. I miss class. When I had it to look forward to, a bad day at work could end quickly. A few tears in the little park down Commonwealth and I'd go to FitRec and it wouldn't matter anymore. I could, strangely enough, be alone during lecture. I didn't have to interact with people.
Now, I go home, see my family (but lots of them are travelling), walk the dog, talk to Matt online, go to sleep. I know I've said this a million times, but work is killing me. I never used to have bad days like this--last night, for instance, I went to bed at 9:30 just because I wanted the day to end. I consider it a good day if I don't break down into a puddle during the day. And my family either doesn't care or doesn't understand. Like I'm making this up. Yes, I know we've all had bad summer jobs, I'm not saying that I'm the only one who's had this happen. But it's still made my significantly less happy. I feel like that should count for something.
Enough whining--I go back to school in 13 (!!!) days. I see Matt this weekend. I am done with this summer. I quit.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
2 May, 2009. 11:15 AM.
Oh man, finals are evil. Have so much to do.
Got into a nice conversation with Vince yesterday about a variety of things. I thoroughly enjoy talking to him, and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to see him next year, since I think he’ll still be living around here. He’s a genuinely interesting person, and I like interesting people.
Kassie taught me how to take blood pressure yesterday, as well. It was not as difficult as I thought it would be, but it will take some practice before I feel comfortable doing it. I went over to see Matt after, and he had me practice on him, and pointed out the important fact that when you mess up, don’t say anything. The fact that I narrate much of my life out loud, especially when I’m under pressure, does not help with that.
“Oh, so that’s how it goes. Your cuff is different. Where do I put this? I’ll just rest it here. And…damn, missed the last number. Pump it up again and—okay, that seems right. How do I put this away?”
Got into a nice conversation with Vince yesterday about a variety of things. I thoroughly enjoy talking to him, and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to see him next year, since I think he’ll still be living around here. He’s a genuinely interesting person, and I like interesting people.
Kassie taught me how to take blood pressure yesterday, as well. It was not as difficult as I thought it would be, but it will take some practice before I feel comfortable doing it. I went over to see Matt after, and he had me practice on him, and pointed out the important fact that when you mess up, don’t say anything. The fact that I narrate much of my life out loud, especially when I’m under pressure, does not help with that.
“Oh, so that’s how it goes. Your cuff is different. Where do I put this? I’ll just rest it here. And…damn, missed the last number. Pump it up again and—okay, that seems right. How do I put this away?”
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