Update #1: OR land…. we bought two domes to be delivered in about 6-8 weeks. Not the permanent concrete ones yet, but the 7 meter canvas ones. We have a plan to meet at the property on April 1st to start clearing land and making plans.

Update #2: apparently the large check written to the cemetery in September did NOT include her headstone. 😑 I got a phone call from them last week, right as I was knee deep in the debacle her taxes have become. Apparently getting tax forms is like pulling teeth from the state of Utah. All her accounts have been locked, and because I don’t have any legal standing, I am unable to gather the information needed to file. Our accountant filed the s.s. information that we did have, which would be $0 due. But her pension is entirely taxable, and Utah and the IRS don’t care that she has passed away.

I asked what the consequences of her not paying, and he said they will go after her “estate”. I asked if they repossess headstones, cause that’s what her estate will consist of, as soon as I pay that bill. 🤷🏼‍♀️ thoughts family???…. 🦗🦗🦗😬

Okay now for reminiscing…..

I never really knew “what I wanted to be when I grew up” until I was pregnant with David at 18. (This is what you get for teaching abstinence only to a bunch of 17-18 year olds) birth control? What’s that? The reality if having and being responsible for a child kicked that desire into overdrive. I really started paying attention to everyone I came in contact with and the jobs they do.

Of course I was very good at babysitting, being oldest and the go-to sitter of my neighbors growing up. I thought about daycare, and actually worked in a Montessori daycare for 2 summers because I was able to bring David with me. But it wasn’t my best fit.

I was diligent on my prenatal visits. And that’s where I fell in love with my doctors MA (I honestly don’t remember her name. But she was awesome)

I asked her how she got her job? and she told me about a new school “American Institute of Medical Assisting” so I tracked down there and filled out an application. David was less then a month old.

I actually had my desire to work healthcare set in stone by the most unfortunate way. An onrey, miserable, conservative, ultrasound technician made my final Medicaid paid ultrasound Hell. I left in tears because she wouldn’t let me see the screen “cause I won’t know what I’m looking at anyway” and “printers broken” when I asked for pictures.

I could have done her job so much better then her. I knew exactly what I wanted to do at that moment. Help people and just be NICE!

It was a difficult road, I was mother to a newborn, a very immature husband who I found out quickly, was not a good father, husband or provider. Not all his fault, we were way too young to play house. Working during the day with David at my dad’s store, Mail Plus to pay bills, and then school at night.

I graduated. BUT, because Provo and Orem were so saturated with new grads, I couldn’t get a proper job for 2 years. Fortunately I get to be a phlebotomist in what turned out to be great experience at Utah Valley Regional Hospital, Intermountain Healthcare. First, floor experience, and then blood bank with the mobile unit, traveling all of southern Utah.

A “real” MA job came with a move to Wyoming. An almost 10 year stint between the Wyoming State Mental Hospital, and Uinta Urgent Care.

I always joked that I wasn’t popular in high school, but man was I popular at the Mental Hospital! I would walk the campus and everyone I passed, patients and staff, knew my name. It was a fun and very eye opening job. Really made me interested in human psychology and I have been ever since. Because there was not many opportunities for higher education in that town, so a little went a long way. I was positioned as a Medical Assistant first, but my jobs consisted of EEG technician, lab technician, phlebotomist of course. Dental assistant, neurologist assistant, podiatrist assistant, and any and all other roles they could put me in legally. All that for around $8 an hour for 6 years! Man was I a sucker.

Urgent Care peaked my intrest in emergency medicine, and opened the door to be hired back by Intermountain Healthcare. Who put me through their nursing school program while working at InstaCare in the now nonexistent Memorial Clinic in Sugarhouse. I had a 2 year contract in the LDS Emergency Dept. Which I interspersed with many InstaCare shifts to insure I got the first full time position open. That place was my home for 6 years. Wonderful people and so much experience there.

I now work in an awesome outpatient procedure center. Pre-op, Post-op, Sedations if I must. My patients are many regulars who I know and banter with. I get to see the relieved happy people, who are glad procedures are over and they are mostly pain free. It’s such a great atmosphere, and my coworkers are fantastic. I have challenging days, a hard IV or blood draws, patients that don’t want to recover the right way. People vasovagaling on me. Ya know, Just trying to keep people alive under my watch. Haven’t lost anyone yet. It’s been a good job as a wife, mom and caregiver being priority.

Published by KaGardn1

I'm trying to live the most meaningful and intentional life possible. Minimalist, Vegetarian, Fierce protector of a full night sleep, Mother, Wife, Daughter -caretaker, Sister, Friend, Nurse. Sharing day to day life with family and friends. A quest to minimize effects of Alzheimer's Disease. View all posts by KaGardn1