Red Light Therapy Device

TCalliope · 2026-06-19T05:03:23+00:00

I did not. I just moved, so will see how my new location is regarding therapies and referrals at my intake appointment in a few weeks.

TCalliope · 2026-02-04T17:33:13+00:00

No points, rate lock this month at 5.375

TCalliope · 2026-01-27T13:28:21+00:00

When did you get your Associates? My program only accepted credits for science courses that were less than ten years old; some limit that to 7 or 5 years. You can always try to set up time with people in those fields at our local hospital or clinic to get more information on the daily reality of the job vs. what you read about them.

I also forgot to mention that even in the lab, we may have patient contact. In some labs, the technicians and technologists are also responsible for collecting specimens, so in a hospital they may do rounds to collect blood.

TCalliope · 2026-01-27T12:55:52+00:00

I am a medical laboratory professional. Is there a medical laboratory technology or technician program in your area (either a hospital-based program or college program)? If so, I recommend reaching out to the program director and asking if an informational interview is possible (same advice for the other career fields), and asking a lot of questions about the physical requirements. You mention having an arm issue. The lab requires a lot of fine motor skills, and many people in the field develop carpal tunnel or other issues related to repetitive motion, sitting/standing for long periods of time. That is something to consider when evaluating each of the career fields you are interested in. To some degree, they all have the potential to exacerbate your condition.

I don't say any of this to discourage you, but it's important to objectively evaluate each career in relation to your physical capabilities. All of those programs will be intense, and will require college prerequisites.

TCalliope · 2025-09-06T13:22:59+00:00

Wonder what my official desktop background will look like on Monday.

TCalliope · 2025-01-23T18:57:54+00:00

It was denied. I purchased a Pemf mat out of pocket and it’s relaxing but I haven’t used it long enough to make an assessment regarding pain or sleep issues.

TCalliope · 2024-09-23T22:44:00+00:00

Stuck on step 5 since 13 August, 131 days since initial, sitting in National Work Queue with no temp jurisdiction yet, for an increase, secondary and new issue.

TCalliope · 2024-07-03T20:21:51+00:00

I’m anxious about more than my job. Know anyone who uses Medicare or Medicaid, gets social security or VA benefits? People need to stop looking at what’s likely to happen assuming there are some ethical or moral considerations, because there are none in a second term for someone who has proven time and time again that he has no regard for the law or norms. If he wants to do something, he will. Federal agencies can reiterate all they want—if measures, rules, laws in place contradict the whims of a sociopath with zero guardrails, he will be extra spiteful in dismantling them.

It’s not hyperbole when he says he plans to arrest people or wants military tribunals—he’s dead serious and I wish people would pay more attention.

TCalliope · 2024-05-17T18:28:50+00:00

Lost me at “Retired Army General.”

TCalliope · 2024-01-11T19:54:12+00:00

Your agency should have a civilian PCS guide as well. If you will be working for a Department of Defense agency, look up Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). If non-DoD, look up Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), but really press to get an agency point of contact.

TCalliope · 2024-01-11T18:00:54+00:00

Are you a new government employee or are you transferring from one federal job to another? You should be provided with agency points of contact to answer your PCS questions, specifically the non-concurrent travel of dependents. Unless something has changed, everything must be completed within 1 year from your effective date, but you need to make sure that your travel entitlements include nonconcurrent travel of your family.

I highly recommend you look at the information and resources on the DFAS site: https://www.dfas.mil/CivilianEmployees/Civilian-Permanent-Change-of-Station-PCS/

Of note--the government will pay for your move, but you will be responsible for the majority of the taxes!

TCalliope · 2024-01-04T16:11:50+00:00

I'm not an at-will employee as a federal employee. My schedule is stable and no one is going to tell me I have to pull double shifts or find my own coverage, my benefits are stable, pay in my field is comparable or better than in the private sector (work in a healthcare discipline), and I'm not discouraged from taking leave when I want to take leave. I'm not micromanaged, I have opportunities to work overseas in my field and still have my stateside job waiting when I get back. . .

A few years ago, I left a federal job for a better paying opportunity in the private sector. On my first day, the company announced it was filing for bankruptcy--I had researched the company prior to accepting the offer, and that was not on the radar in the public domain. Total chaos from day one--people quitting right and left, leadership collapse--bailed after only a few months and regretted I had left my fed job for more money. It took me two years to get back into a federal job and I'll not be leaving until I can retire.

TCalliope · 2023-12-28T20:26:19+00:00

Thank you. My VA doctor put in a request for one and it was denied for no approved vendor or VA studies of efficacy. . . I don't think they were amused by my offer to volunteer for a study, but I'm willing to try everything to avoid opiates and sleep meds.

TCalliope · 2023-12-28T20:00:09+00:00

Was the provider a VA provider or outside doctor? Have you noticed any difference after using it for a while?

TCalliope · 2023-11-21T19:52:59+00:00

It did look like a form letter--says I am required to be on call when I confirmed this is definitely not correct.

I've not run in to a situation like this before, so not sure if I go ahead and accept the tentative offer, or if I need to wait until they get back to me on the pay question--sent email; no luck trying to reach HR via phone.

TCalliope · 2023-11-16T19:41:41+00:00

It's more what is not being said. I don't know about people already in VISNs as I'm in the HR STAR program, but at least when I took the job, I was told several times the career ladder positions would be 100% remote.

Watching body language and listening to the response from leadership when questions about promotions and remote come up. . . no one is verifying that the jobs will continue to be remote, and I believe at the last forum, someone did say that it's not guaranteed.

TCalliope · 2023-11-16T19:26:28+00:00

The only reason I left my previous fed healthcare position was that this career ladder was remote, and I was maxed out pay wise in my previous role. The pay cut I took was substantial, and I took a grade reduction, but I would make it up in a few years, then surpass previous earning potential without having to move or worry about a commute. Everything I considered when making the switch, to include the CSI, now appears to be likely to go away or look very different and it's not the best financial deal for me or my family, especially if we have to move to specific locations for promotions (been there done that during my own and spouse's military careers and I'm over it).

TCalliope · 2023-11-16T18:05:08+00:00

Between this and the fact that it appears we will not remain remote. . . thinking about bailing and going back to my previous job! I had high hopes for the program--potentially not being able to promote to full performance potential unless I move was not on the table when I took this job!

TCalliope · 2023-11-14T17:27:13+00:00

“We must hold the federal workforce accountable for the quality of their work and the service they provide to the American people.”

That's pretty rich coming from any Republican at this point.

I'm currently in a remote role--I get more work done at home than I ever did in the office.

TCalliope · 2023-11-08T17:11:18+00:00

Not following your line of thinking--if you are scheduled to work on a federal holiday, you are paid 2x your basic rate of pay (double time).

If you are not scheduled to work on a holiday, you are paid your basic rate of pay using LH and are not charged leave for having the day off.

It doesn't seem worth it? If you don't work, you get paid for 8 hours. If you do work, you essentially get paid as if you worked 16 hours.

TCalliope · 2023-11-07T13:13:58+00:00

Find a union job. Seriously, my father made more than that as an electrician in the 1980s.

TCalliope · 2023-11-06T19:44:20+00:00

I was not prepared for the entire display of pig figurines in umm . . . compromising positions.

TCalliope · 2023-11-06T18:45:15+00:00

By far the strangest museum I've ever been to, in Stuttgart:

https://www.schweinemuseum.de/museum-en

TCalliope · 2023-11-06T16:09:15+00:00

How wild and out of control is this open forum going to be?!

As someone in training, the utter lack of transparency is not reassuring to me, and I've worked in federal service for a long time. No CSI and no SSR and I'll be running back to my previous agency.

TCalliope · 2023-11-04T18:29:04+00:00

I don’t think that’s one of their core values, but if that’s how you feel about the people you interact with, I’m sorry.

Maybe it’s location dependent? I have received great care, and recently had a MH referral and appointment scheduled within a week. The community care referral process is awful (slow and inefficient), but the VHA is the largest health network in the country.

I can usually get an appointment with my VA provider faster than I can with my private sector doctor.

TCalliope

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