As I wait for my flight to Anaheim, I can't help but think about this trip's destination and purpose. This is the 59th annual AARC Congress. That's a lot of congresses!! I wish I could say that I've been to all of them since I graduated from RT school, but I can't. There are a multitude of reasons: low man on the totem pole meant that senior therapists were able to get the time off, money was tight, or family obligations took priority. At any rate, I'm happy to say that I've been to a few and I look forward to many more in the future.
Anyway, I was killing time in the airport and decided to check Facebook (shocking, I know). As I perused Facebook, I saw TONS of messages from various RT friends who are also on their way to Anaheim for AARC Congress. Thinking about the upcoming week, I initially thought about the fantastic education in the conference (thank you, program committee) and the great new products we'll see in the exhibit hall but I also thought about the camaraderie that we'll experience as well. Respiratory therapists from around the world will join together at this event and share best practices, knowledge, and stories from the trenches...and we'll love every minute of it. I am truly blessed to call these folks friends and I'm looking forward to making more friends in Anaheim.
If you haven't had a chance to experience AARC Congress, I strongly encourage you to look into it. Money can be tight and time off is precious, but I guarantee that this is worth the effort. If I don't see you in Anaheim this week, I hope I'll see you in Las Vegas in 2014.