Comments
Most of my energy after graduation was dedicated toward school and education. I did enjoy my undergrad years, beginning at Utah State University, then University of Idaho, and finally at Weber State University.
My graduate education was done online, through Saint Joseph's University here in Philadelphia. I just recently finished my Masters degree in Health Administration.
I married and moved around Utah and Idaho, but eventually we made our way out here to the Philadelphia region and here we have placed our roots. We bought a house in Pottstown, PA back in 2007 and we love it! The East Coast, from Baltimore to Boston, is all one big continuous line and therefore we have the best of everything! Close to big cities, yet suburban enough to not have the high crime rates of center city. This is the perfect spot, within 2 hours of Philly, 3 of NY, 3 of DC, 2 of the Jersey Shore, and 1 hour from Hershey! of course, that also means Amish country, but being raised in Tremonton the Amish don't really thrill me.
My career began in Utah, working for UUHN which was then bought out by the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics. A short stint at ARUP showed me that a reference lab job was just a production line, so I stayed at little physician office labs while we were in Utah. Saint Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia spirited us away from Utah and opened up a whole new world for me! Working in pediatric medicine was difficult, especially in a major city. Being the blood banker and lead technologist on the 2nd shift, I saw so many scary diagnoses on kids, and way too many children die of cancer, gun shots, stab wounds, abuse, neglect, and suicide. When I finally was able to become pregnant with my own little one, the work took on a whole new meaning and I found I could no longer work in pediatric medicine. I moved out to a suburban hospital, one that was on the Main Line. What that means is simply "old money." We catered to the rich of the area......lots of elective surgeries, jewelry dripping old women donating money, you get the idea. I was supervisor at Paoli hospital for the 2nd and 3rd shifts, and became the laboratory's trauma response coordinator when the hospital took on the trauma designation. The stress and pressure of working the bench, trying to perform my administrative duties, and coordinate an ever shrinking and aging workforce to handle ever increasing acuity trauma cases finally exhausted me and I burnt out. I recently took a position at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, currently as supervisor but also as administrator in training. The Lab Director is leaving and is training me to take her position while I coordinate the hematology, phlebotomy, point of care, and out reach departments of the laboratory. It is a serious step back in time and technology from my Main Line days, but I am much happier!
My son is the greatest blessing that has come into our lives. He constantly amazes me with the things he is able to do. Age of technology, and he is definitely technologically inclined.
We currently have 3 cats and 1 dog. Our first baby, Goat, a tuxedo cat that we got while we were engaged is buried in our backyard. He passed away 3 years ago from Thyroid Cancer. His companion, Tiger, just passed away on New Years day of 2015 and is buried next to him. We have Ninja, a tuxedo cat, his litter mate and sister Boots who is also a tuxedo and they are 2 years old. Then we have Empress Bella, a large grey and white cat that furs all over the place! The final member of the family is Belle, our tri-color thoroughbred beagle. The furs babies all get along well, making a very loud train that pounds through the house in the middle of the night!
