The Job.

I just celebrated my three month anniversary with my new job.  I'm to the point that I don't come downstairs in tears any more at the end of my work day ;-)  It's actually getting better.  I didn't think I'd ever be able to say that!  I'm getting more comfortable with the tests that I am trying to authorize and the criteria for these tests.  I'm learning about brains and lung nodules and sinuses and neuromas and ankles and knees and wrists and gallbladders and ligaments and rotator cuffs and so on and so on and so on.....I'm getting used to people not always being so nice on the other end of the line.  When that happens, I try to be just that much nicer to them :-)  I've gotten over being called a MORON by one physician shortly after I started taking calls by myself.  That didn't sit well with me, I was so upset I couldn't say a word and ended up crying while I was on the phone with the caller...LOL.  Thanks, VKS.  Not.

I'm supposed to do at least 70 cases/calls per day.  I'm hanging around 65 most days. I've had a few days that I've done 73-75, but not regularly.  Once I get to 70 per day on a regular basis, they will move me from an hourly pay to a per case rate.  Word on the street is that some of the Clinical Reviewers do up to 80-90 cases/calls per day.  I can't imagine me ever being able to do that many!  Obviously, the more calls one can take, the more money one can make.  I'm perfectly fine with not making more money...LOL!

I hate, hate, hate, HATE, working full time (did I make my point?!?!?!)  I so totally miss having off my Thursdays!!  And it's even worse being a new employee and not having much/any PTO accrued!  I don't have any time off until the end of November. Yuck.

I do miss not having anyone to talk to during the day, although, it's probably better, cuz if I had someone to talk to, I don't think I'd be able to 'make productivity' as they call it.  I think once it gets cold outside, or it snows, or we have ice, I'll be MUCH happier with the job ;-)  If you know what I mean.....

So, overall, the job is OK, it's not my dream job,  I totally miss my nephrology patients and my transplant patients.  I still have dreams about the practice and the physicians and think about it more often than I prefer.  I still cry.  I try not to, but it happens.  I've had all the physicians from the practice, except for TWO of them (anyone care to guess which two??), ask about me and say they are sorry for what was done to me.

And now, if only Samson could talk...... ;-)

The Job

Here's my office!  It's in our (small...very small) spare bedroom with a twin bed, another desk, an end table, another desk chair and a dresser ;-)  Oy.  We have a window air conditioner in one window, and I've used it most days.  Today was so beautiful, I had the window open alongside me and there was a lovely breeze!

So.  How's the job going you ask?!?!  Well, it's coming along.  There's been a tremendous amount of information....(did I say tremendous?!?!??!?).  I was NOT  looking to start a whole new career direction at this stage in my life (Thanks, VKS.  NOT.)  My brain is about ready to explode with all the new stuff I've learned in the last month.  And my neurons don't fire like they used to ;-)

I've had good days and I've had not so good days.  I hate the feeling of not knowing what I'm doing, so it's been pretty frustrating to say the least.  My family has seen quite a few different emotions the past few weeks (and thank you for gently reminding me that this is a brand new job and I can't be expected to know it all in a few weeks!); they never know what to expect when they get home from work!  

I love being able to work in my sweats and tshirt and being able to get up 20 minutes before I need to go up to my desk.  I love my commute home (coming down the steps...LOL!).  I don't like working full time, the last time I worked full time was in 1989 prior to Alyssa being born.  I miss having my Thursdays off.  My car sits from Sunday til Friday unless I have a meeting a church sometime during the week (that part thrills Kurt, I'm sure!).  I hate having to figure out all my meals for the week when I do my shopping on the weekend.  I always used to have Thursday to run to the store if I forgot something.  I'm currently cool with my hours, too, which are 9:30-6:00.  I'm not an early morning person, so I get to sleep in a bit and often I didn't get home from work until 6 or even later at the office (being the dedicated person that I was, there were some nights I didn't get home until 7:30 or 8.  You see where that got me!), so coming downstairs to make dinner at 6 is no different than what I'm used to.  

Each day is getting a little better, I'm feeling a little more confident every day.  The woman who is working with me this week and next keeps reminding me that this is totally different from what I've ever done and they don't expect us to be proficient right from the start.  At this point, if each day can be a little better than the day before, I'll take it!  (And if someone could remind me of this post in about six months when (hopefully) I love my job, I'd appreciate it ;-)

Congrats to Us!

Within days, Adam and I both got jobs :-)  He had interviewed with FLSmidth back in April for a Field Engineer position.  Because of the poor job market right now, they had to get approval for the position, which took close to two months!  This is the company Kurt has worked with for close to 35 years.  Adam did an internship with them during the summer in between his sophomore and junior year.

This job will have him traveling A LOT!!  He will be the on-site engineer for building projects.  It will entail him traveling in and out of the country.  He could be on a job for six months up to a year. They've indicated to him his first 'job' will most likely take him to Brazil for half a year.  He's already trying to learn Portuguese!  He's very excited about the travel aspect of it-he'll get to see the world 'on the company.'

He starts his job on Monday, June 30th.

And then there's me :-)  I applied for this job back in January, never heard anything from them, and pretty much forgot I had even applied!  About a month ago, I received an email from them asking me to do an on-line assessment for them to get to know me and for me to get an idea as to what the job entailed.  Within a week, I got another email asking me to set up a phone interview with someone from their HR dep't.  I talked to that person within the next day or so, she told me she'd forward my info to the clinical dep't and if they felt I might be a good fit, I'd be asked to set up an interview with a clinical supervisor.  Within 24 hours, I got that email asking when would be a good time to have a phone interview with the supervisor.

I spoke with her on a Friday, I had to do an online typing test (they wanted to assure I could type at least 30 WPM) and then took a ~40 question clinical test.  I got one wrong on that test. I had done the online typing test the night before and typed 50 WPM.  When I did it for them I only got 37 WPM!!  I think I was nervous!!  The interview went really well, she promised me I'd hear something the next week.

By Monday, I had a message waiting for me to call them and they offered me the job!!  It's a full time job...I haven't worked full time since before Alyssa was born in 1989!  That'll be different, for sure!

I start Friday, 6/27/14 (They start their training/orientation on Fridays).  I'll be taking up to 70-90 phone calls per day authorizing diagnostic tests for insurance companies.  And the best part of it all--I'll be working strictly from home!  There is absolutely no travel involved at all!!  My hours will be 10:30-7 pm the first two weeks for training and thereafter I'll be working 9:30-6 pm.  I'm not a morning person, so I'm totally fine with those hours!  At some point, if I get the chance I may bid on a bit earlier shift if it's available, but for now, I'm good with these hours.

I have to work in an enclosed room (HIPAA), so the only place available is our spare room, which currently has Alyssa's college desk (no drawers) and chair in it.  I'm not gonna go right out and replace them, because I want to make sure everything works out, but I don't think it'll take me too long to pick up at least a new chair, since I'm gonna be in it all day long!  The only claim to fame for her chair is that it's PINK!  I don't think it'll be all that comfy for an eight hour shift!! Now that Adam's graduated, he brought home his room air conditioner, so they'll put that in the room for me so it's nice and cool.  I'm also hoping to pick up a small fridge to keep in the room. I feel like with taking up to 90 calls per day, I may not even have time to go pee, let alone go downstairs and get myself a drink.  I'll have to see how that all plays out.

I'm excited, yet nervous.  It's been 14 years since I started a new job and this is so totally different than what I've done!  But I know I'm a fast learner, so feel confident I'll be fine :-)

Looking back on this whole thing, I think everything that happened was in God's plan.  Being off these last six months, enabled me to work on our new pictorial directory at church (which was A LOT of work!) with Kathy, our church secretary.  (She and I are definitely going out for a drink when the final copies come in!!).  In addition, Pastor Elizabeth asked Alyssa and I to direct our VBS this year.  Being off allowed me to do planning, ordering, purchasing, etc.  It's been a long time since I've spent so much time at Hackman's and ACMoore!!  Finally, my unemployment runs out at the end of June.  When do I start my new job?  June 27th.  Word.