The email

Monday I got a text from hubby at work stating that NASA contacted him.  Here we were, ready to go to Virginia.  I always said if NASA calls it trumps Virginia, but otherwise I've been pretty anti-Florida.

He has an interview in person this week. 

Pro's

• it's NASA
• great schools
• It's close to the beach
• It's close to disney
• It's great for doulas and CPM/CNM's
• umm it's NASA

Cons

• I won't be close to family...again
• Cost of living???  Though I don't think it's much more then Virginia
• My mom will be pissed

My frist time using Tricare Prime Retired

Today was not the day I envisioned. I got up ready to tackle soil and mulch and pine straw, help build gardens, assist older ladies and gentlemen and get my steps in for the week! I even pack a self care bag to take to work with me the night before, sun hat, sunblock, snacks, Mio for my water...etc. I drank a little bit of coffee, clocked in and set to the pine straw to bring some up to the front for customers who only wanted one or two. As I dragged it across the parking lot I started to feel the spasm, so I grabbed a bottle of water and started chugging it. It continued to strength so I started to power walk to the break room, running into the supervisor on the way out....he was telling me the plans for the day and I actually said I can't focus right now, kidney stone, and sped off. I hate this, I dunno if it's the old air force in me but I don't like to seem unreliable at all. I'm always early to work and ready for instruction. I sat in the bathroom for ten minutes as what felt like contractions radiated around my kidney...it's like a clenching pulse. I was so thankful that there was no one else in the bathroom. I hate tears streaming down my face and I was moaning, I went into self doula mode or something. I was trying to breath it away. It started to die from like a 10+ to about an 8 and I ran out the bathroom right back into the supervisor and asked if I could go home and get some medicine. I thought I had one pill left. He said as long as I don't operate heavy machinery I was okay to come back. Only I didn't have any and it did not pass like I thought it would. I called tricare, I was actually already on the phone with them as I was walking out of work. I got a referral to urgent care, waited 30 minutes and then the doc told me I needed another CT scan and tricare only allows that at ER's so he sent me to the ER. Thank God it was empty and I was back fast. I had an amazing nurse named Jessica who after a pain shot of what I thought was tordol ended up being morphine I chatted up. She was super sweet and stayed with me as I went through this panicky going to jump out of my skin feeling with the morphine. It reminded me of why I want to work in healthcare. The fact she sat with me made such a difference. After a nap, a full bag of fluid, hubby arriving and my brain coming around to thinking mode...it was time to be discharged. The PA tried her best to describe what it was, but I couldn't take it in. It was not a kidney stone, but some sort of slipped disc or a bone spur, I'm not sure. Anyways, hubby asked her how she liked being a nurse and she went on to tell him how much she loved it. The hours are long, but the satisfaction was high. It was like a sign, because my hubby almost seemed to want her to say she was overworked and underpaid, when in fact right out of nursing school you start at 19$ an hour. I think it may have swayed him to understand that it's not the money, it's not the long hours, it's the job satisfaction that makes nurses.

I had a Co-Pay.  It was the first time in 11 years I've had one.  It was weird....but after hearing what normal civilians pay I was happy with it.  Insurance is insane!  I am very happy to have that benefit.