Oxy, Cialis,& Vicodin, oh my!!

I'm a pharmacist. I'm not sure if any of(all 4 of you) know this,but that's what I do to pay the bills. I've done this for a long time,and generally speaking, I really enjoy my job. I think I'm pretty good at it. Not great, but pretty good. It's a profession I backed into. I recently reconnected with my high school girl friend, and she disagrees, but I digress. I was in junior college, see here, and while there I realized I had my fill of calculus, differential equations, and things of that nature. A friend suggested I look into pharmacy and I did. I found out that my high school physics would transfer too. DONE. DEAL. The path of my future started with the fact that I WOULDN'T have to work too hard, that's good, right? I breezed through junior college, and then was greeted with a big slap in the face in pharmacy school. After a semester, or 3, I figured out that I had to study, how to study, and how to manage my time. I ended up doing well, and also discovered how political, I think that's the term, college is, but I'll save that for another day. In a nutshell my college career went like this, Study + graduate = job. I had a job lined up before graduation. I was set.

My first job was bad. Like working 4 months without insurance bad. After I was told I had insurance. My boss was bad. Really bad. Lied to me, numerous times. I worked 12 hour days. ONLY 12 HOUR DAYS. In theory, it sounds like a great deal, because longer days, means fewer days, right?? WRONG. At one point I worked 17 days in a row. That is 17 twelve hour days. I was shot. It was not safe. That job lasted about 5 years, about 4 years, 11 months, and 2 weeks too long(I would give a 2 week notice, totally professional).

My next job was at a little, clinic pharmacy. I took a pay cut to work there. But I was looking long term. I wanted to run that place. Visions of compounding and IV therapy danced in my head like those of sugar plums in a snuggling child's head on Christmas eve. It turned out my boss was a control freak. I wasn't allowed to make any decisions on my own, and when I did she would promptly remind me that she was the boss, and I was over stepping. OOOOOOOOkay.....BUT....BUT....I still thought I would eventually be the boss, so I stuck around. I decided even though I was getting paid less than other area pharmacists, I was really seriously under valuing myself, that I would stay there(big picture, long term goals) until they told me to leave, i mean it was only a matter of time until I was in charge. Then 2 weeks later, they told me to leave. My "position was being eliminated". I honestly almost threw up when I was told. I just built a house, I had a family, responsibilities. I was devastated, scared, mad. But my boss reminded me it was going to be hard for her too...I almost punched her right in the baby maker. I didn't. That was 8 years. Seeing a pattern here?? HINT-I stay at jobs a long time...

So now I'm about to be unemployed, and well, scared. But the day after I found out I was getting let go, I was fielding calls for new jobs. They were calling ME! My anxiety was fading. I was offered 3 jobs, all for more money. I chose my job, at a HUGE retailer. I won't say with who it was but they advertise "ROLL-BACKS" a lot. I can't make it any clearer than this, I was miserable there...all the time...I never fit there. I may have been partly me, but I was unhappy. The people, other employees were nice to me. The clientele were...not what I was used to. The final straw, or one of the final straws came when a customer threatened to be waiting for me at my car when I left to beat me up. That wasn't the worst part. The worst part was when I looked at him and thought I could not only give him a good fight, I was sure I could kick his ass. I told no one about this. I just knew I had to GET OUT. Now.

8 months and 2 weeks from the day I started I got a call from a friend. His wife manages a pharmacy, and they are looking for a pharmacist. I am friends with her too, but her husband wanted to tell me. I interview. It's an interesting interview. I broke 3 of the cardinal rules of interviews, but I still thought it went well. Then I waited. And waited. and waited. Finally, I was offered the job. I wanted to take it and start that day, but I gave my 2 week notice and started the 4th job of my professional life.

My new job, my current job, has been, from the time I started, almost constantly great. I almost feel like I'm overpaid. I'm in a unique position. My boss has 4 kids, all under the age of 10. The other pharmacist, she has 3 kids. I have none at home. I am very, very available. I work more hours than I get paid for. And I'm happy to. My boss feels guilty for all that I do for her, and the other pharmacist and for the pharmacy. She feels like she can't repay me, but to be honest, I feel like I owe her. She saved my life in a way. She likes to brush it off, but she knows what this job means to me, what she means to me. She was on maternity leave, I covered her hours for 3 weeks(she gave birth 3 weeks early). I worked 60+ hours those weeks. It was difficult, but I was happy to do it. I really didn't mind. I can't really explain in words how I feel about my boss, what I'd do for her. If I tried, I fear it would lose some if its meaning. At my job, I am allowed to make decisions, and my boss totally supports me and my choices. At first, I wasn't used to this, I didn't know how to act, react. Now, I realize it is as good for her as it is for me.

Today I got a text from her. It said "I just got u a raise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Totally unexpected. Greatly appreciated. I was honestly blown away. It was great to be validated. For my hard work to recognized. I am always thanked for my hard work, and honestly, that is enough. The fact that she did it, for me, without my asking, without her letting me know is the best. I asked her why she did this. Her reply,"you deserve it". I thanked her, and told her I owe her. Her reply ":-)", which is what I've been doing all night.