The job(s)

Oh boy.  I started orientation at the University of Chicago on August 15th.  My collaborating physician was on vacation that week so I shadowed a nurse practitioner in another department, took an Epic class, and went to general employee orientation.  I had a pretty good attitude going in to the second week.  Then I met my collaborating physician (again) and observed him do his thing.  The procedures I observed were really cool...but I wasn't impressed with how the physician treated people.  Don't get me wrong, he was nice to me...but he didn't respond well when things didn't go perfectly and didn't have much respect for many of the members of the team.  Plus, the patient-care emphasis was very specific (whatever was related to the procedure) and not holistic at all.  I started to think the environment was not for me.

I had applied for a job at Chamberlain College of Nursing the week before and got an email back last Tuesday.  I set up a phone interview for Wednesday while I was at work and it went really well.

Thursday was an extremely bad day at the University of Chicago.  I came home and told John about it and just started bawling.  He felt so bad he told me I could quit if I wanted to...that we'd be OK financially for a couple of months.  That day I also set up an in-person interview at Chamberlain for the next afternoon.

Friday was actually a really good day at the University of Chicago.  I was the only one there (the fellow, research fellow, and medical student that usually observed were all gone) and I actually learned a lot about the procedures from the doctor.  However, I did leave early for my in-person interview at Chamberlain.  The interview went extremely well and I set up another interview for Tuesday.  I couldn't stop smiling afterwards and was in a better mood than I'd been in all week.  I knew then that the University of Chicago position wasn't right for me.  Then I had a decision to make...should I resign at UChicago before the interview on Tuesday or wait until afterwards?  John and I talked about it...and I talked to Jamine about it...and finally decided to resign on Monday morning.  (My parents tried really hard to persuade me to wait...but I didn't.)

I was really nervous about handing in my letter of resignation but it went really well.  The physician talked with me and was really understanding about it (and even told me he thought I was doing a good job).  I was starting to wonder if I should stay when one of the nurses told me that I definitely made the right decision.  That helped a ton!

My interview at Chamberlain on Tuesday went extremely well...and they offered me the position (academic success coach).  It's a little bit of a pay cut from the UChicago job...but I can tell already that the quality of life at work will be much better for me.  I'm really excited about this position and hope that I like it as much as I think I will.  Wish me luck!

Books

I read The Help on our way to Montana.  I absolutely loved the book.  I thought it was very well-written and felt like I was right there in the characters' places.  I loved how different chapters were written from the perspective of different characters.  I had to control myself so that I wouldn't end up bawling in the car...though I definitely shed a few tears (and would have shed more had I been in the privacy of my own home).  I'm interested in seeing the moving but am afraid I'll be disappointed by it...we'll see, I guess.

On the way home, I read Water for Elephants.  I was really psyched to read this book because I had heard so many good things about it.  I thought it was good...but I didn't like it as much as I liked The Help.  It wasn't as easy to get into for me...and while I thought it was a good story, I didn't connect with the characters as much.

I started The Audacity of Hope on the way home from Montana and just finished it on the train this past week.  I was very impressed with Barack Obama's writing style and just by what he had to say.  I realized more than ever that I have many of the same views on political issues.  It was also cool to hear him talk about Chicago now that I live here (and other parts of Illinois too).  It was definitely hard to switch from fiction to non-fiction...but I really enjoyed reading this book too...and definitely want to read Dreams from My Father.

Montana

*I've neglected this blog for almost a month now...sorry!  I will do my best to catch up in the next few days.  :)

In late July/early August we took a road trip to Montana with John's parents.  John's dad's family has a wheat farm out there and his family usually takes a trip out each summer...they check on the farm, sometimes help with the harvest, and usually spend some time in Glacier National Park as well.  This year, John's sisters decided not to go (Annie didn't have enough vacation and Natalie just didn't want to go) but John still wanted to go...and since I didn't have a job yet, I decided to go too.  So, it was just us and John's parents.  We actually had a pretty good time.  Thank goodness I can now read in the car!  (For years, I would get nauseas whenever I read in the car...but now I think that has more to do with curvy roads than actual reading.)  I read 2.5 books (The Help, Water for Elephants, and started The Audacity of Hope...more on those later.) plus two magazines, watched two or three episodes of Grey's Anatomy, and drove a few hours each way.

John and I at Painted Canyon near Medora ND

John and I after breakfast at Cowboy Cafe in Medora ND

Kathy and John in front of Rough Riders Hotel in Medora ND

John, John, and I at Tiber Dam in Montana

We met John's Uncle Ken, Aunt Liz, cousin Dustin, and cousin's daughter Journey in Chester.  Journey was a hoot!  She definitely kept me entertained.  The guys spent the time building a new deck on the farm house and helping out around the farm.  We ladies spent our time in town and a little bit of time on the farm as well.  It was so dusty out there!  Chet and Leesha treated us to a BBQ one night and it was delicious!

Journey, the birthday girl and cheesehead, and I out for pizza

Journey taking pictures with her new camera

What a cutie!

Playing ladder ball.  My team won!

Journey and I with the tractor, an obligatory Montana pic

We took a day trip to Glacier on our last full day in Montana.  We had a picnic lunch and then took a little hike to see a lake with the whole group (minus Grandpa).  John, John, Dustin, and I then took a longer hike to see Hidden Lake.  There was tons of snow left and we saw lots of mountain goats.  It was fun!  After our hike we got ice cream with the whole group and then drove to East Glacier Lodge for dinner.  Yum!
 

The "kids"...me, John, Journey, and Dustin

John and John on the way to Hidden Lake

Beautiful scenery!

Dustin mimicking the mountain goat

The whole group at dinner at East Glacier Lodge

The next day we got in the car for the long, two day drive back to Wisconsin.  The second day of the drive we had meals in three different states...breakfast in Bismark ND, lunch in St. Cloud MN, and supper in Wausau WI.

Good-bye hugs and kisses from Journey

Three years!

Today marks three years since John and I were married.  Sometimes it feels like just yesterday...can it really be three years already?  Other times it feels like we've been together for so much longer...that's good, I think.  I am more in love with John (almost) every day.  Our relationship continues to grow (almost) every day.  I am reminded how much we are meant for each other (almost) every day.  Life is good.

Sometimes I need to remind myself to enjoy life now.  Today we did that.  We went out for a fancy dinner and spent more than usual.  It was so worth it though!  I can't help but look ahead sometimes...to when we have kids or when we settle down (if we settle down).  It's exciting...but it's exciting now too.

I truly have a wonderful, sweet, thoughtful husband and I'm very thankful for him.  Here's to many, many more years together.

Disney World: Part 2

This has been quite delayed...but, as promised, here are some more pictures from our Disney World trip back in May.  My mother-in-law is the official photographer and it took me awhile to get the pics from her and then have my wonderful husband upload them to my new laptop (it doesn't have a CD drive).  This is just a small sample of the 576 pictures Kathy took on the trip.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a job!

Well, I finally made my decision and accepted the nurse practitioner position at the University of Chicago's Center for Endoscopic Research and Treatment.  I'm still not entirely sure what I think of the position...I guess I won't really know until I'm there.  After the first interview I was fairly certain I didn't want the position.  Every single person I talked to told me that the doctor was "challenging" to work with.  Great.  And, the patients were really sick.  Awesome.  I like my stable, steadily getting better rehab patients.  Then, after the second interview, the one where I met the PA that currently works there (but is leaving) and the doctor, I felt a little better about it.  It's not really what I want to do...it's much more acute (I'd rather be in a clinic setting)...but, it's a job.  And, it comes with a great salary and excellent benefits.

My decision was made easier by the fact that I did not get an offer for the job at Loyola.  The college health arena is probably my ideal right now...and maybe it will happen in the future.  I also had a phone interview with Target Clinics this week but got an email today saying they were pursuing other candidates.  So, I guess this is where I'm supposed to be.  Who knows...maybe I'll really like this job.  And, if I don't, at least I'll know that for sure.  I just don't think I want to get "stuck" in the acute care world.

From right this minute, I'm going forward with an open mind, embracing the challenge that is to come.  Bring it, job.

Towers of Midnight: Finished

I finished Towers of Midnight yesterday.  I was quite sad to finish it...now I have to wait with all the other The Wheel of Time fans for Brandon Sanderson to finish A Memory of Light, the fourteenth and final book in the series.  It's projected to be out sometime next year (best case is March, worst case is November).  Sanderson updated his Facebook status today saying that it was now 33% complete...yay!  I just hope I don't forget too much stuff between now and then.  Can't wait!

I haven't decided which book I'm going to read next.  There are so many on my list!  Before I start a new book I need to catch up on my Sports Illustrated magazines.  Happy reading!

Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald

My cousin Melissa got married the weekend after the Brewer game.  I was honored to be her personal attendant.  I was a little nervous about having to pin flowers on people I didn't know since I'm usually rather shy...but I embraced the opportunity and had a great time!  My other job was to keep track of the guys and make sure they behaved...luckily they made that job easy.

I had a great time seeing my aunts, uncles, cousins, and second-cousins again.  It's definitely a fun, great, crazy family!

The rehearsal

The beautiful bride and her father (my Uncle Dan)

Giving the bride away...after which Dan high-fived his wife, Kim. Hilarious!

Melissa, Marcus (Pat's son), and Pat performing the sand ceremony.

Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald

Beautiful bride!

Erin and Marcus

Chelsey and Dan

Heather and Matthew

Dan and Kim

Dad and Mom

Little Miss Haley Jo, my cousin John's daughter

Me and John

Me with Mr. Marshall, my cousin Jill's son

Gabby, my cousin Erin's daughter, and her friend Delilah