I took my LCDC licensing exam (the big one that I have to pass before I can apply to take the 'Intern' off my certification) on Friday. 150 questions, pass/fail and you have to make over a 500 out of 800. I. Knew. Nothing. Walked out, positive I'd blown it and while I was waiting for my score I asked the lady working with me how long before I could take it again. She looked at my paper and said 'Well, it's going to be a while because you passed'. I made her tell me twice. LOL 620 out of 800. I'm not even mad I didn't do better and that's *something*.
I have 3,529 of my needed 4,000 hours not counting anything I've worked this week so I can conceivably be done with those by November. Get two letters of recommendation from LCDC's and I send off my application. Oh, I have a human trafficking course to take but I'm doing that online this week or next.
When this all started I didn't think there was any way in hell I'd be where I am right now. I love my work (even when I hate it), I'm respected by my clients and my colleagues. My manager freaking *loves* me because I jump on anything that needs doing without being told. Of course, there are only 3 of us right now (for a census of ~360 clients - state max is 50), so life has been... interesting lately, to say the least. AND I make enough money to not only live on but put a little back and plan on fun things with it (like our cruise in March). Just... wow.
I'm taking my LCDC (license chemical dependency counselor) exam in a few hours. If/when I pass it, that means I'll have less than 400 hours left to complete out of the 4,000 I need (so just a few more months) and I will be fully licensed. No more LCDC-I (Intern) for me!
I'm scared witless over this test, even though everyone I've met tells me I'll have no problem. Working in the methadone clinic for the last year and a half has definitely given me a good working knowledge of the field, so cross fingers. I can take it three times before I have to take another class but it's $250 a pop so I don't want to waste the money.
Oy vey... I just have to get out of my own way and not overthink things.
My work... the less said the better. I am willing to bet we lost clients due to the effect the weather had on our homeless population or through overdose because they couldn't get to the clinic but I'm praying I'm wrong.
Cassie is cleaning out the fridge and freezer right now and we're going shopping for what we can find tomorrow. Back to work on Monday, with a sponge bath probably, because there are so many burst pipes here at the complex that it might be days before we get water again.
I'm a bit better today than yesterday - now the pain seems to be less spinal and more muscular from holding myself so strangely during the last few weeks. Dr's main concern now is that as the cememt is harder than bone, the vertebrae on top and beneath the T-8 could also fracture, so I'm to watch for that. I'm sincerely hoping that doesn't happen, as you can guess.
Time for me to go lie back down and try to relax. They wanted me flat on my back for 24 hours but sometimes you have to get up and move around, ya' know?
I had my appointment with the interventional radiologist this morning. I've been diagnosed with osteoperosis and got to see my MRI pictures. The fracture is on the anterior side of the vertebae and the pain is from little bone shards poking into my spinal column and making my nerves twitchy. Had an absolutely amazing nurse practitioner who apologized like mad after she had to mash on the broken spot and almost made me come out of the chair.
Anyway, I'm having my vertebroplasty Wednesday morning. I know! Super fast but I'm damned glad because this has been a pain in the arse. So they're going to shoot cement into my bone to try to stabilize everything. She did tell me that since it will be harder than my natural bone, once I start moving around freely again if I feel more pain, get in to her right away because it's probably another fracture. **BOGGLE**
This is after I got the nasty-gram about my attendance on Saturday from my DM, so I had worked on my FMLA paperwork just in case - Saturday just happened to be my 1-year hire anniversary so I'm now eligible. Probably won't need it but this way they stay off my butt. I expect to only be out Wed and Thurs and back on Friday but y'all know me - if something weird can happen, it will to me. LOL
Talked with my pain doctor yesterday, who will not refill the additional pain meds that the diagnosing doctor gave me (Tylenol 3 every 6 hours), and instead upped me to 3 50-mg Tramadol a day instead of my standard 2. I'm pretty sure I'm going to notice the absence of the codeine but I don't have a choice and will have to just make do. She did at least give me a couple valium for the MRI, so I was glad for that. Also - never realized how much you twist and turn your body when you drive.
In good news, the kittens are fine if a bit on the 'Zoomies at 3:00 are FUN, Mommy' spectrum. I'll try to get photos later.
I know I'm not on here much and when I am it's usually because there's been something totally bizarre or upheaval-ish (it is so a word)...
SO...
3 weeks ago I had a couple of falls here at the house. One might have been rum induced but the other was just me losing my balance. Both times BOOM - flat on my front. Yes, I was sore for a few days and had a pretty gnarly bruise on my chin for a week but overall, not horrid after-effects. Until a week ago. I started feeling more and more pain when I'd try to stand up from the bed or bend/twist. Finally I took Wednesday off and went to the walk-in clinic where my specialists practice. I figured I'd cracked a rib or something and I know there's nothing they can do for that but I just wanted to know at that point.
16 x-rays later I had my results. I fractured my spine. I have a T-8 compression fracture with 20% compression compared to the x-rays I had done in May, which the doctor said was very not good. Also explains why it feels like a giant has my body and is using it as a squeezy toy. Thursday I go to the orthopedist and have my MRI, then on Monday after that I go to see about them doing a vertebroplasty and hopefully put me back together. Braces have been mentioned. So was 'DO NOT FALL DOWN AGAIN!' by multiple medical professionals.
I had the rest of the week (Thursday and Friday) off but have to go back to work tomorrow because I don't have enough time to stay off and I refuse to WFH every day or I'll go nuts. I'm still taking my regular tramadol-flexeril combo and they added in Tylenol 3 which gives me about 2-3 hours of relief, which is great, except I take them every 6 hours. SMDH
Oh - and we have kittens! Cassie finally caved in and we now have Chanel and Evie - two 5-ish month old monsters. Chanel has def claimed Cassie and Evie is mine, to an extent. Love having purrs in the house again. Last cat I had was Kali, who died in 2010, and Poppy, who lived with Mary An after I moved out in 2011. That's a long time to not tell someone to get their tail out of my nose. ;-)
Survived Covid-19. Both Cassie and I came down with it, and it could have been so much worse. I'm back to work - out of 7 of us in the office, 6 were positive. I'm actually the only counselor allowed back so far, which means that the lingering exhaustion has to take a back-seat because it's balls to the wall all day long. *Hopefully* someone else will be back tomorrow.
Cassie is still out of work. She hasn't worked a day this month and now she needs 2 negative test results. Great - guess who is still testing positive even with no symptoms? At least her work is still paying her but man... she needs to go back. Now.
Still loving the methadone clinic. I need to get registered for my LCDC exam but I'm so scared - I only get three tries and at $250 a try? I don't want to mess it up.
We have a mini-vacation scheduled for early September down at the coast. Combination of Cassie's 34th birthday and taking Shay's ashes to Mustang Island finally. Just a couple days but the closer we get, the more I'm thinking we need to cancel. Not feeling like tempting the Covid gods again, ya' know?
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