I am a Phlebotomist

I have put this post off for nearly 4 months now.  Last June (the 10th to be exact) I logged on to the Davis Applied Technical College (DATC) website to sign up for some phlebotomy classes.  I had been knocking the idea around for nearly 9 months already so when Jeremiah and I got to discussing renewing and pursuing  my teaching again vs. doing something new I knew I wanted something NEW.  I already  new I wanted to do something HEALTH related and after looking at a lot of potential areas of interest I settled on PHLEBOTOMY.  Why? Well, it was the most simple step into this new and exciting path I was about to start on.  I started classes in July, on Monday/Wednesday nights from 6-9.  For the first three weeks I actually did only go to class for that allotted time, but then I roped in a few classmates to start going early/staying late... so my class time became 5:30-9:30 most of the time.  We would get to stick (draw blood) from one another so much more than those who ONLY came during the actual class time.  Classes were July-Sept. 25th.  After that we were each assigned an externship at one of the 4 local hospitals.  I was late (the ONLY TIME EVER) to class due to Parent Teacher Conferences and I was assigned the LAST available slot... 5 weeks later I would be doing my externship at Ogden Regional Medical Center. 

October 28th was my first day on the "job".  I had stayed in touch with several of my other class mates so I wasn't too nervous, just super SUPER excited.  Throughout the next week I got to draw dozens of patients as they came to the lab for blood work or were admitted and needed further testings.  I missed getting blood 2 times, so even though I wasn't perfect I was as good as a few of the workers I was shadowing/working with... and I was new to the whole process.  After completing my required hours I was ready to just slide right into a job...

I was applying for new jobs everyday, well it felt like everyday, it was more like every few days... and they were all coming back with "we have chosen to go with someone else", "we are looking for more experience", "we hired from within".... rejection SUCKS!!!  I had told Jeremiah that if I hadn't gotten a job at a hospital/clinic by Christmas I'd apply at the Plasma Center where we'd been donating.  Well, December 14th Jeremiah came home from the Center and informed me they were hiring... I got online and filled out my application.  3 weeks later on January 4th I received a phone call asking me to come in for an interview on the 7th... that interview went exceptionally well considering my last interview was in August 2009.  I was called the next day and asked to come back in for my second interview on the 9th, this one went even better.  I felt like I had enough experience in all the right areas to give me a great shot at getting a job offer... They did indeed offer me a position at the end of that interview.  I was so overcome with excitement, nerves, anxiety, a little bit of sadness, but mostly relief.

Here I am 2 weeks later (on Thursday it will be) and I am getting ready to start my first full time professional job I've ever had.  This is more than a job.  It is a career path I'm excited to get going on.  I was inspired by friends who had made big career changes recently and I was so lucky to have Jeremiah not only supporting my need to do something new, but he was my BIGGEST CHEERLEADER (don't tell him I called him that haha)  He was always so great to show compassion when I was upset about yet another rejection.  He was more than proud of me when I finished my class and even more excited than I was when he heard about the job offer. 

 

As I sit here tonight thinking about how things will change, I'm just turning my heart to my Savior.  The last few weeks I've been reading scriptures every night with Kotah, tonight he came upstairs to get me and we did our reading.  After reading he said our prayer and in it the thanked our Heavenly Father for the "job Mommy is getting to work at, for the time we've spent together, and asked Him to help us to keep spending this time together even when she gets home late sometimes."  I hope above all else that my kids will adjust to having me gone and unavailable more.  I hope that Jeremiah will be able to handle all the stuff I have been doing (when I'm not able to still do it). I hope I will be as great at this job as I've been with things I've done in the past.  I am 30 years old and FINALLY starting this part of my life. Wish me LUCK!!