2020 recap

I rang in the New Year at a Swing Dance that I host at my church. We did a "Roaring Twenties" theme - it was so much fun and it was a great turn out! 

                                                      

      

                                                                                             

Sonography school continued, but with a twist...

In March of 2020, our country shut down. The government announced that we were in a pandemic, with a virus called COVID19. This virus originated in China, and supposedly started killing thousands of people all around the world (the ladder being debatable, in my opinion... that's because I feel like those who are already ill are the ones who struggle with Covid the worst, similar to the Flu - but again, just my opinion). The entire country (and world) went insane. The grocery stores were bare. People began hoarding toilet paper and canned goods. Everyone was required to wear face masks to prevent spreading germs. The government created a massive panic.  

Due to the pandemic, my classes and clinical site for school (hands-on training in the hospitals), closed their doors to students. This made school tremendously difficult. My classes moved to Zoom and our hands-on training was put on hold. This made learning ultrasound techniques practically impossible.

                                                                                             

Since I was stuck at home because of the shut-down, I reached out to a local group that fosters newborn, bottle-fed, kittens, whose mother either left, or was killed. I went through the training and got my first couple kittens to care for. In total, I had 14 fosters throughout the year. It was so much fun and helped my sanity while studying 10 hours a day for board exams.

     

         

                                                                                             

After a couple months of being stuck at home because of the quarantine requirement, my friends and I finally hung out in June! It was little weird wearing masks and not hugging each other, but it was still nice to see friends outside of zoom calls.

                                                                                             

In July we took a girl's trip to Kentucky Down Under. We got to feed and pet Kangaroos, go on a Mammoth Cave Tour and feed birds in the "Land of Lorries" 

    

    

    

                                                                                             

In August, my sisters and I went out for the evening, before Lindsey and Jadyn went away to college the next week. It was such a sweet, special time together, with memories I will always cherish!    

  

   

  

                                                                                             

To become a registered Vascular Sonographer, you have to take a national board exam in Physics, and another in Vascular Ultrasound. Studying for the board exams was probably the most stressful thing I've ever done. I don't take tests well as it is, much less ones that are so intense (and expensive!).  However, I personally think the pandemic and shutdown helped me study because I could focus. The kittens were a fun stress reliever, too. :) 

When I went to take my physics exam in July, I cried (from stress, and fear of failure), throughout the night, the entire drive to get to the testing center, upon entering the exam when the proctor said I couldn't keep my jacket on (I ended up being allowed to keep it, after they searched it thoroughly), and again after the exam...because I PASSED! 

I then graduated from the program in August and took my Vascular board in September (which I again PASSED!). 

I am officially Alicia Vessels, RVT!

                                                                                             

In October, I interviewed and accepted my first Vascular Ultrasound tech position! I started this new job at the beginning of November at a Vascular Surgeon's office, called Surgical Care Associates. 

                                                                                             

In November, my friend Bobbi and I got an apartment together in Louisville, KY. My job is across the street from Baptist hospital, which is where Bobbi works, and the apartment we're renting is only 10 minutes from there!