dread to delight

My palms were sweating, my hands shaking, and I felt that my brain would explode with the information that I had been cramming into it for the past few weeks. I was way more nervous then I let on to the lovely ladies at the front desk who made me turn out my pockets and lock my purse away for the next 3 hours. Even those closest to me, my family and friends, I tried not to show just how terrified I really was.

I was terrified of failure.

I had been dreading this particular day for about 1 1/2 years and it was finally upon me. It was upon me in a very official way as I sat down at the computer that was reserved for me with a camera eyeing me for the next few hours while answered the 4 sections of tedious questions.

As the exam wrapped up I thought I would feel relieved, but as it grew closer to the end I got more and more nervous. I entered in the final answer and sat there staring at the blue screen for the longest 6 seconds of my life. As meaningless words filled the screen, there was only one word that I was looking for: 'pass' and I found it nestled in the bottom corner of the screen almost hiding from my eyes just to make the process more nerve racking.

I had passed. I had passed the longest exam of my life to become a Certified Medical Assistant. It still wasn't sinking in. I returned to the front desk to gather the papers I would need to prove that I had passed this exam that left my head sore and tired, but at that point I didn't care. While I haven't had any exams for school in months, this particular one {being the largest of my career} was the final stamp on my education. It was the final stroke that pulled me into the medical world.

I don't think it really set in until yesterday morning when I strolled into work, only focusing on trying not to fall as my boots slid over the slick icy covered sidewalks. There waiting for me at my desk was a symbol of celebration in the form of a wonderfully colored cake with the words "Congratulations Emily CMA." I fought back the urge to burst into tears as I realized how much my co-workers wanted to celebrate this accomplishment with me just as much as I did. It totally made my day!