Long Time Gone

Where, oh, where have I been?
Working.
I had been randomly applying for jobs since March, putting in an application here and there, since I had decided that I actually needed to USE my degree since I had finally earned it after 13 years of college.  And starting in May, the calls for interviews began.  Some I purposfully bombed because of some very lengthy contract stipulations that were attached (like a year commitment--which I was fine with-- and, after I was trained, if I quit before the year was up, I would owe them $600 for the training, which would decrease $50/month for each month I stayed on), and others looked down on me once they realized I have been staying home for the past two years either pregnant with my son or raising him.  It was frustrating, as I was getting excited about getting a job that was outside of the house.
Then, in July, I was offered a job as an ABA therapist--the job I REALLY wanted!  I was thrilled at getting the opportunity to work with these children who have autism and/or developmental disabilities, and that this particular company's branch just opened and I would be the third person there!  The pay wasn't bad, I was going to get a raise as soon as I completed training, and I would be bumped to full time as soon as we had more clients.
The clients came.  We went from one kiddo to seven.  We had to hire more therapists. 

However....they never finished my training before that, so my pay stayed at the "training rate." And more therapists meant more time to train them, too.  Then my offer of full time went to another therapist who already had training, and would only accept if she got full time first.  I was unhappy.
But then things went even worse. Personal issues happened with me, and then the daycare had issues.  Things began to very wrong very fast, and everything was pointing at me needing to be home again.  So I bit the bullet, so to speak, and quit my first job in two years.  As guilty as I felt for not being there anymore, I have things to attend to for me and my family...and family will ALWAYS come first. 

Now...I'm back!  With lots on my mind and lots to write about.  Now, just to get it all out.... :)

Happy Celiac Awareness Month!

So this month is Celiac Disease Awareness Month--which actually encompasses all that is Celiac, gluten intolerance, and gluten sensitivity.  All over there are blogs and tours and different campaigns to bring awareness to this disease, amd I am more than happy to jump on that bandwagon. 

Did you know that the average person in the US will take 6-10 years to be properly diagnosed with Celiacs??  That is a LONG time of painful and widespread symptoms! It took 14 years for me.  Believe me, the proper diagnosis makes a HUGE difference in life!!  Anyone that I talk to in the medical community I always tell them my story, and definitely push for them to do their own research.  If 1 in 133 people are gluten intolerant and 97% are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed...there are a lot of people out there that are unaware of what is really causing their health issues, and the majority are told either an incorrect diagnosis or that there is nothing really wrong with them.  It is very frustrating, and I hope that I can at least help one person....just as my cousin has done for me!

On the home front, I have chosen a name for the second chick.  She's the Plymouth Rock--the largest (and oldest) chick in our tiny flock.  Since she is the biggest and bossiest of the bunch, it only seemed proper (and probably unoriginal) for me to name her Attila the Hen.  Ha ha ha!!  I'm still cracking myself up!!  Ha ha...cracking!!!  LOL!!!