Is Money Everything?

Today, I enjoyed eating out with my family at the pub.  We had lobsters, french fries, potatoes, clams, and a jug of seltzer water.  It was a spin on the traditional Chinese food we go out to eat.  I enjoyed going somewhere different.  There was a time and place just to drive to the pub and have a good time and eat some quality food.  I couldn't have asked for anything more.  I just wanted a fluid, carefree time to enjoy with no crazy shit happening.  After I felt really full and sleepy, I passed out on my bed. Before you knew it, it was night outside.

Later, I responded to an important business question in my Radiography related career community: "Does anyone else have an issue with their body because of repetitive movements, such as trigger finger, back pain, etc.?" 

"I've been doing mobile x-ray for more than over a year now.  My shifts are 10-12 hours a day of driving, stopping at nursing homes, deploying the machine, running inside, getting the paper work from the nurses, finding the patient, taking the x-ray(s), pack up the machine, and get my ass back to the van; rinse and repeat.  To make matters worse, I have to do the EKG on requested patients as well.  Sometimes, the company makes me drive to New York City and do house calls!  My normal route is New Jersey.  As for bodily injuries, my wrist started to feel funny.  Later, I thought I had tennis elbow.  I purchased some wrist raps to help haul all the equipment.  Thank God, the pain just slipped away.  As long as I continue to use wrist raps, I'm good to go.

Yes, some of these patients are morbidly obese, weighing at 500 lbs or more.  At the age of 32, I can barely manage the amount of day-to-day grind.  No, I don't see myself doing all this work for $xx/hour.  No, I'm not super passionate about my job.  Unfortunately, I don't care enough.  I'm thankful that I even have a job, but I'm not Mother Theresa. I will work a job, but I will not continue to go above and beyond for what I've seen out there.  Hospice care and bed ridden patients is not my thing, but that's really where are all the vast majority of jobs are. On average, I have to drive to eight-ten different nursing homes a day.  
 
I would like for people to take care of themselves better and not need x-rays 24/7, but I guess I'm asking for too much.  Once you reach that ripe old age, you are locked up in a nursing home.  When you step inside and see the patients, you'll know what I'm talking about.  On one hand, there exists a realm of reality that always complains "There are no jobs that pay living wages"; on the other hand you have an actual job to do and all your customers are either bed ridden, wheel chair bound, super old, morbidly obese, terminally ill, or locked away in some institution screaming for help.

$xx/hour is it it all worth it?  I get taxed both New York and New Jersey tax.  I also have to pay Obamacare by myself.  Long story short, I'm probably going to leave my business and go into CT.  When I worked at my local pharmacy, I don't remember it sucking the life out of me as much as this job.  I also don't remember getting paid as much.  I'm earning about 3x more than what I've been at a local retail job.  I know I'm not the right guy for this kind of work and that is why I'm going to quit after completing 2 years of experience.  

There's a lot to say, but 2 years of experience is something I need to put down on my resume just to standout. Yes, I know it'll be hard to find another job.  No, working a job is never easy either. 
On a side note, I've read a lot of you have many years of experience and absolutely love what you do.  
Unfortunately, there are those little hurdles, pains, and setbacks as with most things out there in real life.  Just be careful and take care of yourself.  As a young person, I've seen and witnessed "everyone else" do the work and long hours involved in the healthcare environment.  I don't know if I'll ever be that hard working or consistent. My best bet is just to take it easy one day at a time and keep on going."

Well, it's time to go back to the grind.  It's another work week coming.  There's no way out of it this time.  This time it's for real.  It's my biggest fear, working.  It's my biggest dread in life.  Just slaving my away my life.  This is real life.  This is pain.  There's no beautiful woman standing around and waving a magic wand to fulfill my dreams.  It's just me.  It's my book.  It's my body.  It's my time.  It's my experience.  It's my blood shed.  It's my tears.  It's my effort.  It's my paycheck whom I share with the government with what seems to be a whole lot of unnecessary expenses.

Thank you for coming and reading.  I hope to see you next time.  Having one or two actual readers makes you more the worth while and precious to me.  Thank you.