So....I finished, and received the certificate for medical billing and coding. Did NOT pass the cert test in Nov and had to drive to Roswell for retake on 12/16.
On the drive down all I could think about doing was blogging about our wondrously vast and beautiful state of New Mexico. God is good, no?
I knew after the first test that I really did not want to sit and pour over a Dr's, NP's or PA's note and decide how to code it. Having stood on the other side of the bed so to speak, it's just not that easy. Clinicians don't really pay attention to the cost of providing care, only that they do it because most of them are damn good at it. Thank God! Where would we be if that were not so? I'm not saying that all clinicians excel at giving good care to patients. Some should probably find some other way to make a living, no?
I can only express what has become an indelible part of my life. Things I can never un-see. Emotions I hope to never experience again. There were some very high highs. And some very emotional and psyche crushing lows. I loved what I did and still went back for more. 37+ years.There are things I wish I'd never seen or knew about man's inhumanity to man, children that stared at me with that, "Help me" look, suicides, traumas. 12 year-olds having heart attacks because their friends told them "it's okay, take this pill", CODE blue, CODE red, anaphylactic shock, disease and the litany of other illnesses. Outstanding caregivers, and, shitty care providers making excuses to either peers or patients fully expecting to be exonerated. How could I possibly code all that and more for billing? God bless the people that bring the money in, Billers and Coders, because without them no one would get paid. It all comes down to the money.
All that being said...I'm not going down the medical road just yet.
But back to our beautiful state. The drive through Tijeras Canyon is exhilarating whether heading East or West. The plains and rolling hills of the eastern side contrast is spectacular. I personally prefer the mountains and high desert areas. You never know what you'll see over the next swell of land. I saw antelope, sheep, llamas, mustangs, cows, 2 BIG bulls sizing each other up, badger, birds, a couple of snakes, scrub oak, mesquite trees, a lone cottonwood tree that usually means water, ghost towns, and, sunshine unmarred by city pollution. The stars at night. What can match seeing the stars where there is no man made light pollution? I am in awe of the Lord's creation. Makes me humble😊
I really need to get back to visiting places my ancestors moved to. Wish me luck.
Driving back through Vaughn there was a wreck. Tourist car vs ranch truck. You know how that turned out. The speed limit signs are very easy to see. So what's the hurry through a small town whose thoroughfare is maybe 1 (ONE) mile long?
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Aah...Espaṅa
So I finally fulfilled my dream of visiting Spain. Went by myself because I just could not pass up a RT airfare, hotel with one meal included for less than 2k.
Madrid was spectacular. I walked as much of the city as I could. The Plaza Mayor was only 4 blocks from my hotel. Impressive statue of King Felipe III. The palace was closed cause they were setting up for a fiesta.
Pero siempre hay una fiesta todos los días en algún lugar de la ciudad "But there is always a fiesta everyday somewhere in the city", I was told. So on to the Reyna Sofỉa Museo about 2 miles away. Decided to walk-all downhill. The strangest thing: while I was strolling and taking pictures of the architecture, I started noticing the graffiti on everything. What!?!? So I started taking pictures of the grafffiti and before I knew it---I had walked about a mile past the museo. Hmm. Met some interesting people and also learned that all the yellow vested men standing outside shops were not only security, but great for giving directions. It really wasn't tourist season so I didn't encounter that 'oh eres turista' look. Speaking Spanish helps too:) Do NOT go to Madrid during Valentine's Day unless you're into that holiday. I was heading out to watch flamenco when all the lovey-dovey thing started. I've never been much for the hallmark version so back to my hotel I went.
Barcelona😀 I would definitely go back to Barcelona. The people are so friendly. My first day there I bought a bus tour ticket to see which site I would return to visit. I got on the metro to get to the tour bus stop and started talking with a lady. Before we both knew, we were at the end of the line😊😊 Decided to walk the barrios instead. That's what this trip was about. Getting to know the country before. or, if I ever need to return, que no? I walked around neighborhoods talking with shop owners and people on the street. Long story short, the ticket was not used. Hardly any graffiti anywhere.
After visiting one area, I would pick another and happily passed the days eating fruit that actually tasted like the fruit I ate as a child. And tapas!! Yummy. Tapas, another word for appetizer of the day.
On my last day in Barcelona I was craving a hamburger. But..I was not going to pay 14.95€ for an American hamburger. So I went to McDonald's. Wow!! The McD's are like the new age internet coffee shops with 'puter plugs at almost every seat. You order on a touch screen about the size of a 50" tv, in a multitude of languages, pick if you prefer to pay with your card or at the counter, and get nudged to buy dessert with your meal. Dessert option was given three times by the screen and twice by the counter person. Nope. Better another cupa.
One of the shop owners asked if I was from one of the border towns by Portugal. No. Why? Because you use very old Spanish words and she thought it was a blend of Spanish and Portuguese. Hmm. Don't know maybe? She also told me I have a Spanish accent. It's amusing to be told you have a Spanish accent by a Spaniard in Spain.
Do I have a Spanish accent?
The coffee in Spain is so, so, so delicious that my tongue turned black from the quantity I consumed. Had to buy more toothpaste to brush my tongue. You can either pick espresso size(tiny), cafe largo(about 8 oz) or cafe Americano(mug size). one of each, please:) The chocolate drink there is not like the wimpy cocoa drinks here. I ordered one the first chilly morning and it was like trying to drink hot fudge. Rich, rich, rich. Delicious but no more for me. Better another cupa, no?
On the plane ride to Madrid I met a young French man who is a wine buyer for Four Seasons. Told me he was born in Paris and came to the USA to work for Disney as a wine buyer. Fell in love and lives in the USA. He was actually going to a small town in Portugal. According to him, wine that has been held back several years, both in Portugal and Spain, because of the price drops, is now becoming available. He taught me a few things about wine and encouraged me to visit Paris. We laughed because he tried to teach me the nasal tones of some French words that I failed at miserably. Paris? Not on my bucket list.
On my way back I met a woman from Brazil. She had been in Portugal to visit family. We met in the Barcelona airport. Amazing place by the way. Then again in Amsterdam airport and quite a nice visit. and some laughs about the language barriers. She also stated that she had a little trouble with Portuguese spoken on this side of the world We muddled through:) I didn't know that Portuguese is the language spoken in Brazil.
The plane ride on KLM from Amsterdam to LAX was an okay experience. My knees were firmly pressed up against the seat in front of me. Southwest seats are recliners compared to those. And the plane was full. My seat neighbor was a pastor from the Ukraine going to San Diego for a conference and to visit family. This guy was about 6 ft and 300 lbs. Snug. Very pleasant, but... I must say that he did ask me if I am a Christian. "Catholic?" No. "Gutte" So we passed some time talking about God, his church and family.
On my layover in LAX I met a young man from Chicago. He is a programmer and we talked about some of the leaps in AI. One of his duties is to write fail safes for these programs. I don't know if fail safes can keep up with the speed of AI. Or, hackers. Terminator?
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Just before I left Karen Morelock, an RT who was a student with me in 1975, passed away. We worked together at Pres. her family had dubbed her Sister Karen because she would not bad-mouth anyone, ever. She was a gentle soul. Her services were held the morning after I left. I sent my deepest condolences to her family.
Last month John Sheffer, another RT and friend that I worked with in RT and cath lab also passed away. His obituary said he had a "wicked sense of humor." That he did. He was a prankster who would pull in other department personnel to accomplish some of his more elaborate pranks.
These are 2 of the people that God put in my life at the beginning of our shared careers. They, along with others, made learning and working fun.
May God bless their souls. They are Home.
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Had another DNA test done through 23andMe. In depth results are eye opening in the world of genealogy.
I'm meeting another family member from the Jemez area.
Back to work;)
And how has your life been?
