So, there is a reason I haven't posted in a while. My life has been turning up side down and not always in a good way. So, here's the story.
Two weeks ago, on Monday, I walked into work thinking it would just be another normal day. Alas no. This was to be my last time walking in to the job that I had enjoyed so much over the last couple of years. Unknown to me at the time, I had made a major mistake. I had left a specimen that needed to be refrigerated out at room temperature and the required test could not be done. That's not okay. It was an honest mistake, but a large one that can't happen in the medical field. I was fired for it. Talk about a punch to the gut. I turned in my badge, cleaned out my locker, and walked out of the labor the last time with my head high and mascara still intact. My boss was sad to see me go and encouraged me to use her as a reference for my next job. I really feel bad for her having to fire me, especially over a single incident when my record was quite good.
ImI not ashamedato say that I drove home and sat on my bedroom floor in the dark for a couple of hours. I had just lost a job that I loved, can you blame me? I hated myself for making that mistake, it was all my own stupid fault I was in this situation. Would anyone else even hire me after something like this? How long would it take to find a new job? Had I just blacklisted myself from medicine forever?
I called my mom, who assured me that I would find a new job and that any employer would be happy to have someone as good a worker as me. I dug myself out of my pit of shame and texted a few of my friends to tell them what happened. I went for the saddest walk of my llife. Slouching around the cul de sacs in black sweat pants, a black jacket, and sunglasses, I laugh now because I looked like I was probably up to something very illegal. As I walked, my shoulders slowly came back to straight, and my gaze shifted from my feet to in front of me, and I knew what I had to to.
I opened my laptop and updated my resume, then sent that resume to around ten offers from online job boards. I needed to feel like I had done something to move on from my mistake.
Over the next two days, I was not left alone for more than two hours. Remember how I said I texted a few friends? Well, once I explained what happened, they all started checking up on me. It was like an unintentional relay of support. People from different friend groups that had never met would check on me at different times as if they had made a schedule or something. My best friend's reaction was "Do you want me to come make you dinner tonight or tomorrow?" because she knew how not okay I was and that I would need to talk to her in person. I don't know what the heck I did to be surrounded by such amazing people. Seriously, you are all the best. That said, I didn't want to tell everyone because honestly, I needed time to come to terms with my mistake. I felt bad, okay, and I didn't wanna talk about it any more than I already had. So if I didn't tell you, please don't take offense. Trust me, it's not you, it's me.
I set up a few "rules" for myself to make sure that I didn't withdraw. I am a social person, so sitting in my apartment alone would wreck me fast. I made sure to leave lights on until I went to bed, which sounds strange but kept me from sitting in the dark. I kept my phone close and answered messages, connecting me with those wonderful, supportive friends. I took a walk every day. This not only served to get me out of the apartment, it helped me sleep. Not being able to sleep when you're already sad is the worst, so I actively avoided it. A few days after losing my job, my walk was interrupted by a phone call whilst out for a walk. It was one of the places I had applied to, asking me to come in for an interview. I was ecstatic, maybe this was the turning point. I had received a phone interview with another application and was waiting for a response from them. The next morning I was awoken by another phone call to set up yet another interview (Somehow I managed to wake up enough that they didn't seem to notice that I had been dead to the world five minutes ago). I wasn't a failure, I hadn't just ruined my career, I still had a chance!
So I went to my first interview. Now I know it may surprise you, considering my quiet, shy demeanor (If you didn't get the sarcasm, what are you even doing on my blog?), but I interview like a dream. Four years on the speech team were not wasted. I show up dressed to kill and with all of the right answers practiced and ready to go. I could sell ice to an Eskimo, or at least that's what I tell myself. I interviewed well, then waited for the decision. I was relaxing in my apartment several hours later THAT SAME DAY, and my phone rang. It was the lab I had interviewed at, asking if I had any more questions (I had a few ready to go, that's interview tricks 101) and saying that "an offer would likely be forthcoming. Excuse me, WHAT?! When I hung up the phone, I fell to my knees in thanks. From "You're fired" to "Here's our offer" was ten days. Less than two weeks to a new job. How often does that happen?
But I didn't accept the offer right away, I had another interview set up for the next day. I went to this interview much more relaxed than the first one. After all, even if I botched it I still had my other offer. This lab was very much the opposite of the first, being small and close-knit. There were definitely benefits to this kind of environment, but was it what I really wanted? I had a lot to consider.
Honestly, the consideration didn't take as long as I thought it might. I took the first offer. Hey, the bigger companies get big for a reason, they do have a lot to offer as far as career path is concerned. So, I will be starting as a Histology Lab Aide at Inform Diagnostics on April 8th!
The last few weeks of my life can be summarized like in one sentence. When God closes a door, sometimes He slams it on your finger, then He opens another one. I loved my job and I was really happy with it. But this new job is a great opportunity, and to be perfectly honest, is probably going to be better in the long run. It was just not how I would have chosen to come by such a job. The day I walked out of PBM for the last time was one of the worst days of my life. But it looks like there was somewhere else I was supposed to be. So, we'll see where this new job takes me.
And along with the new job, I'm trying a new format for blog posts. I'll still share recipes, but the main focus of the blog will shift to my stories and thought about life. So, I hope you all have a good day and if God has just slammed a door on your finger, I hope you find the one He opens.
