Med Asst

Having my first job as a Medical Assistant has been exciting yet difficult. I attended school for approximately seven months including my extern hours. But, school is definitely not the same as having an actual job. I am actually working with real people, real lives. I must make sure to sleep well and eat well because I need to be at my site concentrated. When I perform immunization, I must verify with the provider to make sure I am giving the correct vaccines to the correct patient. More over, when patients need to see a specialist, I am responsible to refer them. Meaning, getting approval from the insurance companies and setting up the appointments and lastly keeping in touch with the patient to check if they actually showed up to the appointment. Referrals are very time consuming and we must document every little thing that we do. Now that we have the flu season near by everyone stops by to receive the injection, for my side as a Nurse, I have lots of paper work to complete and to record on the computer. But then again now that I keep doing the job it is getting easier. I am very grateful to have my new job. I really hope I have the opportunity to grow within the company. =0)

CluBing VS $$$

When I was fourteen I began to go out with my friends to party’s and dances. I loved going to Quinceaneras, which are similar to Sweet Sixteen party’s. Most of the Quinceaneras that I attended were big with Bands that would play about two or three hours and of course they had a DJ. After, when I was about sixteen I began to go to dances, or better, concerts. When we would go out, we would be about 6 or more girls. Then, we would meet up with the boys. We would all have fun and dance until the music would stop. I thought that going out to party’s and to dances was the thing to do all my life. But, after high school, my thoughts had changed completely. At my job, in order to put in more hours I had to open my availability to work either morning or nights on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sunday s. Working for a restaurant, I had for sure the longest hours and would close mostly every weekend. I was getting the money I wanted which took over my ambition to go out to have fun. I had a few opportunities to ask my supervisor to give me one night off and I would explain to her that I had the urge to go see an artist and she would grant me that favor.  

Now, having the short life experience that I have, I see my friends from high school still going out to dances or clubs in Los Angeles. They sometimes invite me to go with them, but I still do not think that I should go out rather than earn a few dollars. Once in a while, I accept to go out but I do not see myself having a stable mind set if I were to keep hanging out with my friends.

My Familia

I am super glad to say that my father (Javier) mother (Estela) and two sisters ( Arlene and Ariana) are a big happy family. My father’s career consists of being a automobile mechanic.  Of course, when ever one of our cars brakes down he is there to fix it. For me he is very important because recently he taught me little things that can be a life saver when it comes to cars. For example, I recently began working forty-five minutes away from Oxnard; Meaning that I have a higher risk of my tires exploding. But my father has taken the time to teach me how to lift the car, loosen the lugs, and lastly take the tire off. In addition to that, I know how to check all the oils and (in a way) I know how to change them. My mother has a very important job. She works with a company that offers services to pick up patients from their house to take them to a facility where they receive dialysis (which is when patients get plugged into a machine that removes excess water and waste from the blood because the kidney does not function well anymore). When she got the job, I imagined that she would be taking people old in age. Surprisingly, she informed me she took young adults; as young as seventeen. My sister, Arlene, is three years younger than me.  I am very proud of her. She has also completed high school and completed the Regional Occupational Program, where she was trained to be a Dental Assistant. When she was still in high school, I brought her to work with me as a phone operator, now she continues to work as a Phone Operator at night and works as a Dental assistant during the day. On top of her busy schedule, I advised her to at least take a couple of classes. Being her older sister, and knowing what is out there, I have tried to guide her in the correct path.  Now, my youngest sister is approximately eleven years apart from me. She is now in fourth grade. She has been doing well at school. She is going to be ten in December and is maturing; she comprehends when we try to correct her when she does something she is not supposed to. Even though we all have busy schedules, we all manage to get together and appreciate being each others company.

Rookie Driver: Only 11 Years Old

Rookie Driver: Only 11 Years Old

            Even though I had difficulties in my life, the most memorable event was when I was in my first car accident.

I have an uncle from my mother’s side of the family that lived in the outside area of Oxnard. It was a big house that was surrounded by fields. My mother had a Chevrolet Silverado, with a really nice maroon color and leather interior. When I was big enough to reach over the steering wheel, I would insist to my mother to let me drive the truck. So when I was about eleven or twelve, she decided to show me how to use the truck. She said “I will show you but only when we go to you uncles house out in the fields.” Soon, the day came to show me how to use the accelerator and brake pedals. I was super excited when I was seeing that I was passing by the trees at about twenty miles per hour. After, I would feel super comfortable to drive around the fields.

During the week, like every other morning, I would get ready to go to school. I would shower every morning and choose what I was going to wear color coordinated and most of the time, when I could get away with it I would enjoy to wear shorts. My mother and I were the only ones who would wake up really early to get ready. My dad would be the parent who would take me to school. Since I can remember, he has never liked to wake up early and wait for my sisters and me to get ready. So once we get ready, we

wake him up and we would be the ones to wait. After he would get ready, then he would take us to school.

This particular morning, my mother was styling her hair and putting on her makeup. Just enough make up to make it look natural. She sent me to wake up my father.

While my mother and I were getting ready, I must have tried to wake him up for about half an hour. My mother was already running late, so she wanted my father to help get the cars out of the porch. Basically, we had the house and the cars would get parked on the right side of the house. The porch was long and narrow so one car would be parked in the back of the other. Since my father did not get up when my mother was ready to leave, I offered my mother to move my father’s white Ford truck. She agreed, so I smoothly backed up the truck twisting the steering wheel to the left. Then, my mother backed out the Chevy. When I turned in to park the truck again, that is when the most unfortunate thing happened to me at my young age. My first car crash! I remember everything in slow motion, how I turned into the porch very narrow, and on half-ways the car hit the corner of the house. I immediately got frightened, yet; I still kept going. I heard an unpleasant noise, as I kept on moving the car, the paint was being scraped off. When the end of the truck was inside, I got off immediately to see the damage that I had done to my father’s truck. The door handle from the back door of the drivers’ side had broken off. My mother just told me to get in the truck so that she could take me to school.

While at school, I was sad and very nervous. I knew for a fact that my father always took care of his car and that it was a for sure thing that I was going to be in big trouble. My teacher, Mr. Walnick, received a telephone call. He then informed me that my father was in the front office waiting for me. So, I walked, slowly but surely down the

hall. I saw my dad for the first time right after the incident and asked “Porque yegaste por mi? /Why are you picking me up?” and he responded “Porque tu Mom me dijo que

estavas asustada porque chokaste mi carro/ Because you mom told me that you were scared because you crashed the truck.”  So I asked “Estas enojado?/Are you mad?” and he replied “No, por eso vengo por ti para que no estes asustada/No, that is why I am here to pick you up so that you will not be frightened.” I made a huge sigh of relief. He then took me to get a happy meal from McDonalds. There at the restaurant, he explained to me that even though I tried to help out I still needed to practice to be a great and safe driver.

This was my significant event because I ruined my father’s truck, yet; he understood the fact that I was trying to help. In addition, he did not get mad at me. I grew closer to my dad and have had a great communication with him. During my young years I thought I was never going to be able to drive a car without troubles. But when I was sixteen I received my drivers permit. Six months after receiving the permit, I immediately went to get my license. Basically, when I was approximately seventeen I had my license and was driving forth and back from my house to school. Now I can even drive a stick shift car, which is difficult to drive for most people. Transportation is very important in

our society. It has become a need to commute to school or to our jobs. At the end I am very glad, that crashing my father’s car did not scar me for life.

Hello!

Growing up in a Christian home has made Ruth Arreola a happy, talkative, friendly and motivated person. She enjoys attending church daily and participating in activities that she enjoys and they relate to her religion. Her father is a Minister, Leader at their church. He preaches to an audience of approximately 400 Hispanics. Ruth is a singer at the church (and only at the church). She shared that church is a place where the whole family gets, and they all enjoy each others company. Ruth has a brother, Davis, who is the oldest and next, would be her sister, Sophia, they are both married, and Ruth is the youngest. Ruth considers her sister, Sophia, who is five years older, her “Role Model.” Sophia basically raised her. Ruth has always gone to her for advice when ever she needs it.

Every morning, Ruth sets her priorities for the day, choosing from school, church and family. She attends Oxnard College, and will be completing the culinary program, and would like to be a chef and/or be a pastry chef. In addition to that, when ever she is not at school, she is at church enjoying the company of many other believers. At the end of the day, she goes home to her family, parents, and then rest, so that she is able to continue her routine as usual.

At Oxnard College she has gotten help from the counselors. Guided by them, she will be able to complete her goal. She mentioned she really appreciates the help that she has received because without it she would be lost. Classes for her at OC are very comfortable, and she knows that she can get attention from the instructor for a simple question without a problem. The only thing she does not like is the fact that the important offices are closed early. According to her it is very inconvenient. For Ruth, has a few short term goals. She sees herself graduating on her major and having kids when she is twenty three years old. In ten years from now, she would want to be financially stable and have her on Café and Pastry Shop. After all, she would like to make her Grandparents and parents proud, having a successful descendant yet still continuing to believe in their religion.