Work

It had been my goal since the age of 16 to become a college choir director. Having achieved that, it was very dismaying to have to leave it behind. But, since the damage from my 1993 accident made it impossible for me to teach any longer, I went through lengthy training to become a medical transcriptionist, and began my first full-time employment since 1993 last July, at University Hospital here in Ann Arbor. I worked for the rest of 2011 typing consults for the Pathology faculty, and enjoyed it greatly. (Several previous posts deal with this.) Then, however, on January 24 of this year they moved me to a new space down the hall (Surgical Pathology), where I am now handling new responsibilities. Specimens from surgery are sent to the adjacent Histology lab (histology is the study of the microscopic study of tissues), where the histotechnicians study them, dictate their findings, and then we transcriptionists type them as (as "History and Gross" reports). I miss doing the consults, as it was congenial work and I really became good friends with my colleagues there - the Pathology faculty, and my fellow transcriptionists (administrative assistants). But I enjoy the new work, too, having again wonderful colleagues (including my cubicle neighbor who has been mentoring me, Mary Soucie) ... and above all, am just grateful to still have a job (in this economy, and considering the journey I've been through).