When teething costs $1,000

Levi is your classic teething baby. Cranky and drooly and just generally mad at the world.  The kind that makes me say things like, "I'm sorry. He isn't usually like this. He's TEETHING." Except his crankiness is exclusively at night. During the day he's his usual happy self. Just a little extra slobbery. Meanwhile at night he's a screaming, non-sleeping mess! Two AM seems to be his preferred time to cry inconsolably. So the only people I'm uttering these apologies to are myself and a half asleep Joe. However last night Joe was working overnight so I was the only one up with the crying teething monster...errrr....baby. After an hour of rocking and soothing and consoling the raging screams had simmered down to a few random whimpers and I was able to crawl back into my bed. I was exhausted and ready to sleep except my mind wouldn't allow me to relax.

See this is the year I need to take my re-certification exam as a (non-practicing) PA. Truthfully I could have taken it last year but I didn't. I had a whole laundry list of reasons why I didn't take it including pregnancy, a new baby, a cross-country move and Joe starting residency. But they were just excuses. And now we are one month into this year and I'm starting to feel panicky. Panicky because I've done NOTHING to prepare for this not easy and extremely important exam. I'm wishing I had taken it last year (because it would have given me more time to fail and re-take it. Pessimist...who me?). So instead of going back to sleep I stayed up and "researched" the exam. Something I admittedly should have done about a year ago. Better late than never, right?! Along with my internet researching, I sent Joe a whole slew of panic filled texts in regards to this test and my inability to A) find the time and childcare to take the test and B) to pass the test...because I haven't prepared!  Initially Joe was responding with appropriate reassuring messages and clarifying questions. And then *NOTHING*. Which only spiraled me further into my crazed I'll-never-be-a-PA-again panic mode. Which is how at 3:30 this morning I managed to spend (almost) a thousand dollars in under five minutes! First it was national dues for $130. Then it was $350 to register for the PANRE (the test). And finally it was $500 for a review course that garauntees a 99% first time pass rate for its attendees. Those are the kinds of promises I need. Although I'm somewhat convinced that I fit in the 1% category. Raising 4 babies + 0 clinic experience / 3.5 years  = slim chance of success. Or at least that would be my assumption. Time will tell. 

Speaking of time, these pre-test jitters have me reminiscing on the last time I took this exam. Not this text exactly. But the original certifying exam. It was five and a half years ago, just a week and a half after I graduated from PA school. Isaiah was 2 years old and I was 38 weeks pregnant with Charlotte. Joe took his MCAT exam the same week. My parents who lived just one state away watched Isaiah for us. I thought it was hard then. And it was hard for me then. But now I look back and wish it were that simple this go around. Four kids and a resident husband who is scheduled to take his boards exam this spring as makes that test taking experience look like a piece of cake (by comparison).

Anyways all that too say this here blog might go back to being a little quiet for a bit. As much as I would love to write about the nitty gritty details of our life I really need to study. Because at this point I am studying just to prepare to go to the review course later this month. Basically I'm studying to get ready to study....fun, eh?

*Apparently he had not one but two patients trying to die on him in middle of the night and he couldn't stop to read and respond to my texts. The man has priorities.