Pediatric Anesthesiology

I started working retail in high school and after graduating. I found myself on my own and needing to support myself rather than being able to head off to college. I worked my way through retail and into management at a couple large retail chains.

One night out while celebrating pride in my hometown, I met a couple of girls who would become great friends and who would forever change my life. They took me under their wings and helped me get out of retail and into the medical field, where they both worked. I walked into the operating room for the first time in my life and as scared and nervous as I was to be in such unfamiliar territory, it quickly became a place of great growth and where I found some of my forever chosen family.

I never imagined this would ever be my calling, but 14 years later and I can’t fathom doing anything else. Most people assume I’m a nurse – I am not (but I am married to an amazing one) and I have yet to meet anyone who knows what my title is or what I do outside of my coworkers. I’m a certified lead anesthesia tech, and no… that doesn’t mean I “put people to sleep”. It means I assist the doctors that do that. I take care of and help them with whatever they need, so that they can focus on and take care of our patients. I love helping people and making people’s jobs easier, and because of that, my job is extremely rewarding!

This amazing story was shared by a human named Nikki.