I was getting dressed this morning before the sun came up.  I did my hair and make-up, like I do every morning now.  I looked polished in my knit turtleneck and tan, pressed slacks.   I smiled at the reflection of myself all dressed up for work, noting how grown up I look and feel. 

Then I saw my engagement ring and thought how REALLY grown up I look and feel.

At work I placed orders for inventory.  I implemented a new system for controlling insurance payments. I had a mid-morning meeting with HR to discuss my 401k.  I had a lunch meeting with my manager to discuss an upcoming project.  I worked late with a coworker so we could organize supplies.

Grown up. Grown up, indeed.

On the way out the door, my coworker wanted to stop and get a Pepsi.  The machine wasn't giving her her pop or money, so I put my hands on it and yelled in my best southern baptist voice, "JEEEEEEEEEEESUS HEEEEAL THIS MACHINE!!!!!!!" until her Pepsi came out.

Guess I'm not ALL grown up quite yet. 

Thank god. 

I'm seiously loving this new job.  I know I've only worked a total of three days there so far, but I know I'm going to just be enamored with it for a long time.

I've never been to a place before where people welcome you so often and say how they LOVE working there and that it's the best company ever.  And I think it might just be the best company ever.  We have a 99% satisfaction rating by the patients & their families.   And for a health care business, I say that's pretty darn amazing.

I walked into work on my first day there and saw a big billboard in the lobby that had my name on it, welcoming me to the company.   How cool is that?! 

The people are great.  The staff is caring and beautiful and passionate.  The patients are upbeat, nearly always happy, and overly friendly.  It's easy to forget that they are so very sick. 

A lot of patients go to regular hospitals for cancer treatment when they first find out they have it...but when the regular treatments don't work for them, they find our company as a last resort.  So it's not uncommon that our patients are simply trying one last thing to survive.  It's heartbreaking.

We have a warning system built into the entire building in case of emergency.  It was used twice on Friday....when two different patients went into cardiac arrest.  When that warning sounds, you can feel the sadness spread through the air.  A collective "awwww" murmurs through whatever room you're in.  From the pharmacy, we can see the staff running in the direction of the incident.  It's a horrible feeling.

Being a part of this company, though...knowing that every one of these amazing people are trying their best to make these people stronger and happier, whether it's in their healing or making the best of their last days...I feel like I'm making a difference in just being there.  I love being a part of something that important.

In my three days there, I have hugged patients, had one crying on my shoulder, celebrated with one when she found she didn't have to do chemo anymore, and acquired a 90-year-old boyfriend who, though he's now getting sicker, still chases the cute ladies through the hall with his walker.

This is a whole new world for me.  And, so far, there's really no other place I'd rather be. 

The bad part is that I have to be found healthy and free of drugs.  And they do that by giving me tests.

That means I had to pee in three different cups over the last few days.  And I had 2 needles in my arms just yesterday.  STUPID HEALTH!

I feel like a lab rat. A lab rat that has now perfected peeing in a cup, that is. Honestly? The first try wasn't so pretty.  The last one, though?  Oh....it was flawless.

But at least it has now been determined that I'm not a drug user, I don't have TB and, overall, I'm a pretty healthy gal. Healthy...and with damn good aim.