I wish I knew what to do with my life...

jatango · 10-06-2008, 05:15 PM

Ugggggghhhh...

So, I have a BS in Animal Science from a university that has a great reputation for that sort of thing. Decided I didn't want to get my masters right out of school, met my husband, got military-married (still need to have a ceremony), and both of us got shipped out to BFE Missouri. Right. So now he is looking at deployment in January and I'm looking forward to a whole lot of boredom working from my mother's home or an apartment; depends on whether W and their male golden get along as well as they used to.

While he was gone, I had wanted to do a year of radiologic tech school, but it turns out they have a 3 YEAR wait. Wooooo. My work from home involved medicare/medicaid authorizations which means I have ICD-9/CPT coding experience. What the heck do I do with my life? I love medical stuff and have an aptitude for it, but get more and more squeamish when it comes to things in pain. Being an OB/GYN nurse appeals to me, but at some point I want to be a SAHM (stay at home mom) and I would feel like my training was a big giant waste (of money).

Hubby still has to go through college, but the GI bill will pay for most of it, not too horrible. I want to be able to make money while he does that, but it seems like there are ZERO jobs out there that care about my particular degree. I just feel super-stuck.

The looooong loooooooooooooong range plan breaks down like this:
DH Deployment from Jan 09-whenfreakingever (hopefully Jan 10)
ME School of some sort during that same period
DH done in the army Jan 11 (We'll be 25)
ME Busting my butt doing something during that period
DH College from Jan 11 - Jan 15 (We'll be 29)
ME More butt busting to make money so that we can eat
Kidlets? (I do NOT like the idea of having kids after 30, we both have autism in the family and he has bipolar somewhere. No thank you.)

At this point it is him working (majorly hopefully) and me raising kids and doing that work from home job if I still have it. See where me getting a degree could be difficult? If I go back to school at the same time he does, that leaves us with a teensy stipend to do things like, oh, live somewhere and eat. He could work too, but I would rather him not with his chronic medical conditions.

Sorry for the novel, but I can't whine about this to him when he is in so much pain. We've gone over it a few times and I always get the "I dunno" face. Should I just get a certificate in medical coding/billing and hope for the best until things settle enough for me to try school again? Do I need a firm kick in the butt because I'm too lazy to see any other options?

Help.

Amanda · 10-06-2008, 05:23 PM

It does not have to be a waste of money!

You only need to be a SAHM for so long.

You're not going to be that when they're 30 years old, right?

I would definitely go for it and do the schooling now. Once you need time off to take care of the kids, take a break from work. Once you decide to go back to work (they might be 10 years old or 18 years old), you'll have schooling already taken care of and paid for.

Good luck!

jatango · 10-06-2008, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amanda

It does not have to be a waste of money!

You only need to be a SAHM for so long.

You're not going to be that when they're 30 years old, right?

I would definitely go for it and do the schooling now. Once you need time off to take care of the kids, take a break from work. Once you decide to go back to work (they might be 10 years old or 18 years old), you'll have schooling already taken care of and paid for.

Good luck!

Ah, but see, if I go now I'll have to go to school in Ohio and then come back to Missouri and just HOPE someone will take my transfer credits. I can't stay separated from hubby with symptoms like he is capable of getting. He has some things pushing down on his brain stem and sometimes this can keep you from being able to do all sorts of things. I'm afraid if I try to get my RN, I'll have to get admitted to a program up here right in the middle of the curriculum.

Oh right, just found out there is a 2.5 year wait on the RN program...awesome

**Jenny** · 10-06-2008, 05:51 PM

Teaching? Is there a program somewhere near you that you can get sertified quickly because you have a BS degree?????

**dobermansrule** · 10-06-2008, 05:57 PM

with the military tie in, is there any possibility of your school being supported/paid for/partly paid for? I'd get all the free schooling you can get while you can get it. And don't take "we have a waiting list" lying down. If the school is close, get an appointment and show them what a dedicated determined candidate you are - go armed with a sort of resume or summary of what you have done, your ambitions. The schools want students that will succeed and go on to carryon the school's and curriculum's good name. Good luck in whatever you do!!

**sebsyd** · 10-06-2008, 06:24 PM

I'm with D..rule, go for it and fight, it won't just fall in your lap. That can't be the only program around. If you go to a certified college or university for your credits, they should be transferable with no problem or questions asked. Getting an RN certainly will provide great "Mommy" hrs when the time comes and you should already have all your credits needed for the course with the exception of practicum classes. It could cut off as much as 2 yrs off the program. I have known "full" programs to admit a student who has at least 1/2 the credits required. Since practicum is a farmed-out part of the program it is easier to admit someone to that part. Go to the school and get all the details before accepting the fate that some clerical (no slurs against clericals) has been told to say. Don't want to be a vet?? How about a trainer?? They make their own hrs and get really good pay.
I can't believe that with your hubby's problems, he is being deployed in the first place!!!!!
Hope everyone's post have helped in some little way. Good luck,

keep in touch.

Lexxsmom · 10-06-2008, 06:25 PM

what about working in a lab that has animals?