A move far far away.
So the beans have been spilt.
We are moving to Birmingham.
As most of my friends and family know I have been trying to get an Echo tech hospital position for years now. Well the time has arrived; actually it presented itself a few months ago when I was least expecting it. In April I was able to quit my day job at the doctor’s office where I was severely and willingly under paid. Not underpaid like fast food workers wanting fifteen dollars an hour for doing nothing. I was making half the market wages per year for what I am credentialed do. I accepted those wages for three years with out complaint before a hospital finally took a chance with the likes of me. I had interviews along the way but the lack of experience put the breaks each one of those jobs. The doctor employed me when no one else would. He let me hone my craft while for those three years I added to my starving résumé. For those three years I had to have a second job (actually my first job) to provide for my growing family. One year of the three I worked full time at both jobs totaling 85 hours a week. I was able to do that for just one year before my exhausted body said “you can’t live on four hours of sleep a day, now die.” Okay I didn’t die, but I felt like I was going to. I didn’t even know my newest child at the time. Right when Harvey was born was when I took on all those hours, and it wasn’t until after his first birthday when I had-had enough. The kid still has a hard time getting along with me. So, I needed to keep adding to my résumé so I cut hours from my night job, (the money maker) and started spending less money on the things we wanted. Every weekend I would put out résumés and every couple weeks later I would get a “thanks but no thanks”, letter from a human recourses person somewhere across the country. I didn’t let it get me down and just kept studying and doing my best at both jobs. I didn’t have a choice but to do my best. I have mouths to feed.
So in April, Bayfront Health St. Pete gave me a call about a résumé I had submitted a month or so earlier. I spoke with human resources and they scheduled my interview for a week later. On that Friday I met with my future boss. The interview went well (I did get the job). I started two weeks later. The doctor’s office was mad and wouldn’t pony up the cash to keep me. I would have stayed if the money was good. The office was only one mile from my house. I would have dedicated all my energy to the place if they would have dedicated the same to me. I digress. I started at Bayfront and the two techs there were amazing! The two girls took me under their wings and showed me the ropes, they helped me in every way possible and I will never be able to show them how thankful I really am. The doctors that I saw regularly were all awesome. There was one who stood out more than others, his name is Michael; he is a member of ASE and reads the same journals as I do. We were able to have common conversations and it was great being able to speak on a medical level with someone whose pay grade far exceeds mine. I was there maybe two whole months before the phone started to ring again.
Everyday for a couple weeks I was getting calls back from old résumés and résumés I was putting out at the same time as the Bayfront application. I was turning them down left and right with a smile on my face. Why? Well either the pay wasn’t where I needed it to be so I could move. They wanted more than my credentials would allow. Lastly I was happy where I was at.
The middle of May my phone rang and it was a lady named Wanda. She had a job offer in Montgomery for me. Well, well, well, Alabama is a place that Sarah and I really want to be. I said “I would love to come up for and interview”; I did so on June 4th. Wanda was great to interview with and she said I had the job. I was excited. Then came human resources; the thorn in my side. That was until this place; these people were so nice, and I couldn’t wait to start in Montgomery. That was until someone that I know, (they will remain nameless for now) passed my information along. They also told me about a position in Birmingham. I applied for the heck of it ,but didn’t really think I would hear anything back for them.
Two weeks from starting in Montgomery I sat for an interview at UAB hospital in Birmingham Alabama. I did my best and enjoyed meeting new techs. I told them I would love the position and if they loved me just give me enough time to tell Montgomery no thank you. (Though just the day before I had accepted a position with the Montgomery hospital) I didn’t think that I had gotten the job and went back to Montgomery to find a house. Shortly after getting back to our hotel in Montgomery my phone rang out; I almost didn’t answer because I was sitting on the throne and did not want to be bothered after eating some much crappy food the days before. The person on the other end of the line probably had no clue what I was doing and I am glad for that. The hospital wanted me and was emailing me an offer as we spoke. Once out of the bathroom I was jumping for joy. This was great; we were finally getting the chance to move to Birmingham.
Why Birmingham? Five years ago I applied at the VA in Birmingham and thought I was going to get the job so Sarah and I were house hunting and just fell in love with the area. Everyone is so crazy nice that sometimes I think we were being pranked. We are not used to kind people in Holiday Florida. There have been more than a handful of people who have walked up to us and just said hi, all because we had a baby (Reagan the first time, Bishop this time). While walking in downtown I almost get winded after saying hi to every single person I walk past, because they say hi first. Now don’t get me wrong, I love it and I hope my stand offish personality doesn’t show through. I want to make connections with people who are so crazy nice. We loved it so much in Birmingham, I was willing to move given the first just okay job offer.
This offer at UAB comes with an amazing opportunity to advance my career; so we have our house in Florida packed and have applied for a house to move in to up here. (I am writing this for our hotel room I rented to the weekend.) Okay, okay, Sarah has the house packed; she is so excited to move.
Now Florida, my friends, I love you all. Sarah and I are going to miss everyone; we are going to miss even the friends we didn’t get to see often but wished we could have. I am going to miss all my customers at Universal. I am going to miss my coworkers so much. We will be around from time to time and will stop in to say hi to those we can. All of you are more than welcome to come visit us too. Our house will make a great white winter get away from Florida. Once we are established here maybe we can foster you here so you can get out of Florida too.
Arianna Shirk, someday you will Google yourself and you will find this page. I have 
plastered your name all over it to act as bread crumbs that will lead you to me. I will always be here when you call, text or email someday. I know I don’t write on here much but I will be alerted the day you are ready to say hi. I guess you are probably about ten now and I’ll have a few years before Martin lets you get online. Remember; what ever you are told, there are two sides to that story and I have paperwork to prove it. You have one sister and three brothers as of right now. They all know about you and know one day you will get to meet them.
On a funny note: Today I got my fourth TB test this year, gave my 15th vile of blood for different screenings peed in my third drug test cup. Sunday I have to shave my chin for an N95 face mask fitting. Shaving is going to suck and my chin will hate me. My skin just wants to heal! I have eaten so much crappy fast food that I just want to run until I pass out; wake up and run some more.
The scary thing is… I have this awesome job; but I don’t really have it until my first day of orientation. Oh man; I don’t have a job in Florida come the 11th.
Michael Trump
I try not to name-names just incase people want to remain nameless.
Michael Trump 
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