Hi everyone,
2jays - will be thinking of you all day today. I'm sending much love and wishes for strength. This time, everyone is holding your hand tightly xxxxx
Spamar, glad you got to the funeral, despite the traffic over the last mile - the tulips are a really lovely idea! Lucky you with the choccy's - trouble in this house is they definitely would not last till Christmas! Oh - and hope the 'rant' did both you and your neighbour the world of good - nothing like a good moan to clear the system
JM, sending you absolutely massive ((((((hugs)))))). Your username is one of the most apt I have ever come across on a forum, you just never seem to stop. Add in dealing with not only your job (which sounds pants - I am crossing all fingers and toes hoping that you are able to find something different and less stressful soon and with the minimum of hassle), the family, the house and even with all that, making sure you carve out time so you and your family can fit in the cycling and other activities that you enjoy so much and then throw in trying to support someone with dementia and taking on more or less all of the associated paerwork and bureaucracy that goes with it - 2jays is 100% right - you need to cut yourself some slack, lovey.
Slugsta, I hope that the funeral today goes well for your BFF and her family - that's a long journey, and combined with your aquagym and visiting Mum, you are going to be shattered, I'm sure - so hoping for light traffic and a stress free journey for you xxx
Amy, so glad that you are having a lovely Thanksgiving - it sounds just what you need (and deserve!)
I have had an absolutely manic week, which hasn't gone particularly well, and I am currently so shattered that I feel horrible
The travelling on Monday and Tuesday made for very long days (though I really enjoyed the team meeting in the middle of it all - I work with some fabulous people!), on Wednesday I started the day with an hours admin, then off out for most of the morning to a meeting, back to more admin, then took an hour to visit Mil (more on that later) then as I was due to start a new project on Thursday, a stop to pick up the materials I needed, home to cook tea, then I vastly underestimated the time it would take to prep for the project, and ended up worrking till after 8pm, getting everything ready. Yesterday started with me having to get dau up and ready to have her at the school before 7a.m. for a trip to Stratford to see The Tempest, then admin, then out to start my first project.
A bit of background - basically, my job involves me working with groups of young disabled adults. I go to schools, colleges, day centres, universities, youth clubs, wherever really, and offer the chance for young people to take part in a choice of projects, of varying lengths, designed to build confidence, increase skills, and get them involved in their local community, through getting them involved in voluntary work, community based activities and learning opportunities, like life skill workshops. One of the schemes gives the young person a chance to gain City and Guilds certification, another gives the opportunity for things like trips to London, so the young person gets a chance to speak to ministers and MP's about their situation. We support ANY disability, I do all the organising, the facilitating, the research, lead the 'sessions' and am at every activity that I organise. And all is individually tailored around the specific groups and their disabilities. And as we are a charity, we cover all costs and expenses for these young people - its very much a free service for them. All I need in return is for whatever organisation I am working with to identify a group of about 10 people, who meet the age criteria for me to work with, for the organisation to oversee consent forms, for the organisation to fill in the paperwork signifying their agreement and to provide me with the facts and figures to feed back to our sponsers. I've had 3 months to settle and set up contacts, and was expected to start my first project no later than December - which gave me a lot of time!
Its a flipping fantastic job!
So, I identified one organisation that seemed particularly keen to work with me, have put in a massive ammount of time and effort over the past 6 weeks to set up my first project with them. I knew the manager of the organisation from years back, didn't like them then, but they were so enthusiastic this time that I brushed aside any concerns. Until the last week, when I'd become worried enough over the non-return of the paperwork and the lack of promised response and confirmation to some queries I'd had, that I'd actually spoken to my own boss about it. And yesterday, I walked into this organisation to find that none of the paperwork had been done, and all of a sudden there were several other issues that in effect will prevent me from continuing with the project with them. The frustration of other staff there was so evident - they were fuming - but the manager was rude and dismissive, and clearly wasn't at all bothered about the fact that their lack of cooperation and effort had basically ruined the whole thing for the young disabled people involved.
I stayed polite, but I was so angry and upset inside. All that effort, all that organising, all that time - wasted. I'm left with an admin nightmare, lots of arrangements to cancel, including workshops and voluntary opportunities that I'd arranged with other organisations for this group. I had to work till after 6 last night, starting to cope with the fall out, and will have to work part of my day off today. My own boss is livid on my behalf - she is really supportive and knew just how much worked I'd put in - but I can't help but feel that I have really messed up
Its really knocked me for six, I feel suddenly so low again and its left me doubting my ability to do this job as well as I want too.
Visited Mil on Wednesday. Due to the on-going refurb at the home, she was in one of the upstairs lounges. She was initially quite calm - the best I've seen her for some time, and she really enjoyed the cake and tea that was served just as I arrived, which I think helped with her mood ( one staff told me as I arrived that she had been 'very upset' earlier). She was also very 'switched on' to start with, introducing to a near by member of staff with not only the right name, but also adding that I was her daughter in law! We had a pretty good 20 - 25 minutes, before firstly 'the war', then concerns about 'this school' and finally 'going home' kicked in. Again, leave taking was difficult, needing a member of staff to run interference - but at least she was calm and seemed to enjoy most of the visit. Maybe she is starting to settle now - I hope so.
Found a message from the home on the answer machine last night, saying that a social worker will be in touch to discus DOL's for Mil - the message said that all residents have to have this, so assuming its nothing worrying, just another bit of the endless bureaucracy that has to be dealt with
My trip to Newcastle, due to happen next week has thankfully been postponed until February - thank goodness, it gives me more time to try and sort out everything after yesterdays nightmare. I have to travel on Tuesday, but not far thankfully, for my monthly supervison and hopefully, other that a run to Birmingham next month, thats all the travelling I'll have to do till after Christmas. I've booked some time off around then and right now, I feel I need it!
2jays, just to say again that I am thinking of you, hun xxxx
Love to all, have a good day xxxxx