I got the home healthcare job!

Today was my first official day of training with the home healthcare agency. I'm so excited to be chosen!

Today I got fingerprinted for the first time ever! It was messy and a bit surreal, the ink is very slimy feeling.

We got to meet the owner and most of the office staff and they all seem like great people. I'm really excited to be working with them! They really made me feel welcome and wanted. This is a great first step in my goal to becoming a nurse. I still laugh at myself for fighting it for so long.  

I also got a call from the hospital job today. He seemed a bit put out that I had found another job, but I told him I could do both and he said he'd get back to me. I'm not sure he will and I wouldn't blame him if he doesn't call, I just couldn't wait for a maybe. I need a job to pay for school and this one is actually in hands on healthcare. I feel a little sad about it though. After all, a month ago it was my dream job and I would still love to have it and be back in the hospital.

When I found out I hadn't gotten it the first time it made me reevaluate my life and my priorities.

Today's lessons were about how to give a bed bath and do peri care. We also learned a lot about communication and how to spot the signs of abuse and scammers. I'm hoping my odd assortment of hobbies and skills makes it easier for me to have something in common with my clients. It would be really cool to learn some new tricks with my Singer 66 or gain new knowledge about obscure pipes. Maybe I'll get a crocheter and we can sit and hook together while we talk. I can't wait to get out in the field and start getting some hands on experience!
The agency has the coolest sock dummy named Buddy. It was fun to watch it flop on the bed as it was gently turned and the sheets were changed. It was a lot more realistic than it should have been. Whoever made Buddy is a true artist. Sadly, I can't take pics there for confidentiality reasons. He is really cool. I might have to try and copy his pattern so I can have one...

We got to watch a video about how to do a bed bath on a client. It was boring , but mildly educational when suddenly it got to the privates washing part. It suddenly went from a real person draped modestly and helping her aide with the process to very graphic and up close drawings of the human nether regions. It was such a shock I almost laughed out loud like a kid, but up until then it had been very PG. I learned a lot after that.

I'm so grateful I got this job and I'm already learning a lot. I'm excited to see what I learn tomorrow.

In a mere 13 days I start school! I'm so excited! I can't wait to begin. Don't forget about my fundraiser!
 In the meantime here's a cute Rory picture from last night. He really loves his free space time!

Hello!

I registered for school today!

I went down to Tucson College today to finish my registration and make the first payment! I was so excited I managed to get lost on the way, but I made it with 5 minutes to spare before my appointment. I still can't believe how Sylvia flies with her new gears!
I got to fill out even more paper work and answer a bunch of questions about why I want to go there and what my goals are. It really helped clarify things in my head to write it out for them. I want to get an education that will improve my life and the lives of others. This is a quick stop on my end goal of becoming a nurse. It's a bit sad that it took me until age 37 to realize I want to be a nurse. I'm still a writer in my soul, but that will be my secret identity. Now I just have to wait for the acceptance letter to be a real student. Have I mentioned that patience isn't my virtue? I hope it gets here fast!

This will be where she waits while I'm in class! Door to door with covered parking!

On the way home from the school the job I wanted at the hospital called. He re-posted the position and wants me to apply then call him immediately. I need to see if they will work around my school schedule before I decide to try for it again. I really wanted that job; I could have ridden to work every day and worn nice clothes. It was in the hospital which is where I want to be and the other phone operators seem great. There's the chance to get benefits and a cafeteria that has the best fried chicken in the universe! A month ago it was my dream job. Then I wasn't selected and it crushed me. I cried and everything. I had wanted so badly to go back to the hospital. However, not being picked really helped my to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

I decided I needed more than just a job, so I hatched my crazy plan to finally get back to hands on healthcare and make a difference in peoples lives. I love my plan, but the siren call of that other job is ringing loudly. It whispers that I would still be helping people and if I get chosen this time I would be making a bit more cash to boot. Plus, I'd never have to drive my car again because parking at the hospital is a nightmare and they have bike lockers.

On Monday I go for orientation with a home health care company. If I survive it they will hire me and I will have a job! It's a great part time job and the shifts are short so it won't interfere with school. They like the fact that I'm getting my CNA and seem almost as excited about it as I am. My fingers are crossed that I survive!

I'm considering doing all three if the hospital will work me around school and I survive the home health care orientation on Monday. I could conceivably make it work, but it would be an insane few months and would take a lot of juggling. Once I start actually nursing school, which I plan to do in a year, something will have to give though. 

On the flip side there's a chance that I won't survive Monday and the hospital won't chose me again. That would suck! I hope at least one of the jobs chooses me, but if not I still have hope for my fundraiser!
In the meantime here's a quick photo update on Rory. He is doing great and is in love with Ginger.

Ginger and Rory

He wants to play ball with her.

Isn't he cute!

Some cute pictures of Rory. He's turning out to be a really smart guy. He lets me know when his favorite shows come on and he can flip his house right side up on his own.

Roly ball is fun.

He rolls his ball around and can even get it in and out of his house. There's food inside so it makes noise and I can't wait for him to figure out how to open it.

He knows there's food inside.

He will now take food out of your hand and let you pet him while eating it.

He now takes food from your hand. 

He also likes to be scratched behind the ears and will let you do anything if you have a carrot.

He also gives you a look when it's gone.

It takes him about 5 minutes to pull hay out and spread it all over his cage.

Who farted?

He has a great sense of smell and squeaks when ever we pull any thing fresh out of the fridge. He also squeaks when Martha comes inside. He really loves that dog.

It was you!

Coming over to investigate.

I had read that guinea pigs were shy, but he isn't. He comes right over and checks you out if you get near him. I'm still working on the biting issue but carrot bribery works most of the time. He's not mean, it's more of a test bite to see if we are edible. He can modulate his bite pressure and he's only drawn blood a few times, but it still hurts.

I see you human.

Please spread the word about my fundraiser. Every little bit will be very much appreciated. Thanks!

I hate waiting!

Patience has never been my virtue and I'm currently waiting on two very important things so it's really driving me nuts.
I've had two interviews for the job I really want and now I have to wait until next week to see if I can move forward in the hiring process or if I failed and wasn't chosen. That's crazy making. At least there was a lot of laughter at the peer review, that's a good thing right?
I want Sylvia to be done and home, I hate the waiting to get her back. I have faith that they can get the hub to fit, but I'm still worried. I'm starting to wonder why I thought this was a good idea.
I decided to alleviate my worry by researching other bikes and that's been fun. If I do have to replace her I will probably save my pennies and go the custom route. I don't want to have to look forever again. I wish Linus made 8 speeds in my size.
I just got off the phone with a very nice man who gave me several tips on how to make her better. His website is DBC City Bike Design  and it would take a while, but I do like that he's worked with short people like me before. His Facebook has lots of great pics of bikes they've built as well as some of the neatest dishes. There's also a really great looking coffee table.
I just really hope I don't have to get a new bike and they don't break her by accident. It's taken me a year to get her this way and the thought of starting over sucks.  Well that's enough moping, I have bedding to hand sew for Rory because I killed the electric sewing machine and my treadle has decided that needles are more fun to break and shoot than sew with.
Have fun!

Rory likes his new ball.

Rory and a kitchen improvement

So far I've been keeping myself entertained while waiting for call backs from jobs by sewing and crocheting. Rory is also a ton of fun and way more active than I thought he would be. He does have one weakness though. Rory loves to watch TV, he yells at me when I turn it off.
He's very well behaved when there is something flashing on the screen. It makes me feel like a parent almost. Pop it on and get on to other things.

Castle is fascinating.

Feeding him is so much easier than I thought it would be. He gets all the hay he wants, a big bowl of fresh greens and vegis in the morning, and a nice scoop of pellets in the evening. So far he likes everything we've given him, but he really loves carrots. I also scared myself when I gave him a strawberry. It looked like someone had slit his throat. I admit I freaked a bit, but he loved eating it.

Breakfast!

This is his first time with cucumber. I only give him one new thing at a time so I can see what he likes.

Rory likes it!

He loves it! He also loves playing with his frozen blueberries. He rolls them around the cage before he eats them. He's to funny and I don't have the heart to tell him not to play with his food.

Now on to the kitchen improvement. My dear husband got these really great wire panels and installed them in the kitchen. They came with these cool baskets and shelves. I love the blue color of them and they make the kitchen so organized. It will take a bit of adjustment to decide what goes where, but after just one night it already fits in our house wonderfully.

They go to the ceiling!

It's great to not have to dig around to find things anymore. Now I want to get more baskets for them. These will definitely make life smoother! And they are pretty too!

Best cereal ever!