Back to work

[Coppernob]

The time has come and I'm back to work next Monday. I'm feeling a bit jittery about it but know that once I'm there I'll be fine - and retirement is only 15 months away. Can't wait! The worst part is that I won't be able to check up on all you lovely people as soon as I get up and several times during the morning! I'm only in the office 9.00 am to 1.00 pm each day though so I'll be back on the site in the afternoons - if I'm not so exhausted that I need to take to my bed. Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement through what has not always been an easy time. I don't know what I would have done without you! Linda x

 

[Jamie]

This is truly a HUGE milestone for you!!! Congratulations! Be sure and let us know how things go. You'll probably be tired the first week or two. Even if you have a "sit down" job, the energy expended is usually greater than being at home. And retirement so close....wonderful!

 

[Josephine]

Woo hooo!! That's fantastic! Remember how you were too busy feeling scared to think about this? You have done sooo well!

 

[gayle]

good luck and I bet it will be worthwhile too...

 

[Weezy]

Have fun back in the "real world"...and if you're like me, you'll probably feel some withdrawal pains because of not being here that often. I think it took me several weeks or even a couple months of being too busy to participate here to finally quit feeling like there was a big hole in my day.

And do continue to let yourself rest when you get home!

Weezy

 

[Coppernob]

I think as well as a knee replacement I should have had a brain replacement. I emailed by boss today confirming that I'd be back in the office on Monday and I asked if the new photocopier had arrived. He replied saying that it had been delivered on 12th November - the week before I went off on sick leave! I still can't remember it arriving - there is no hope! I think I'm going to feel very stupid on Monday morning! Linda x

 

[Pookerbear]

I wouldn't be too hard on myself if I were you...back on Nov. 12, I suspect you had bigger things on your mind than a new piece of office equipment

Please post how things go for you...I am also returning to work myself after being off for 8 weeks, and am a little apprehensive as well. It would be nice to have a buddy of sorts to go through returning to work with.

Best of luck to you, and try to relax this weekend as best you can!

- Cathy

 

[aussie]

Happy return to work.

Regards

Chris

 

[Coppernob]

Well I survived, but what an odd day. The last thing I could have done with was a heavy snow fall overnight. If it had been anything other than my first day back I wouldn't have attempted to go, but I battled on. Because of the snow we couldn't get the car out until we cleared the drive and so I was late for work. When I finally arrived I felt like the new girl all over again - I couldn't remember phone numbers I'd been ringing for years, I couldn't remember where things were kept and I even forgot to put sugar in the boss's coffee! Fortunately I only work part-time so I finished at 1.00 pm and was home again by 2.00 pm but I was shattered. So it was off to bed for the afternoon. I'm sure things will get better as I get used to the work pattern again, but today felt like a real marathon. More snow is forecast tonight so we'll see what tomorrow brings. I hope your return to work goes well Cathy. Would be good to hear how someone else copes. Linda x

 

[gayle]

the snow has been awful was supposed to be on light duties but with the lack of staff in the hospital was on my feet all day with patients but was enjoyable... hope you survive the weather tomorrow apparently you are getting our snow from today in the south!!

 

[Josephine]

Hope you survived your day at work, Gayle!

 

[Pookerbear]

Working part-time sounds wonderful about now! I had my first day back at work today - 8 hours -and I was a puddle by the time I got home! It was all I could do to flop in a chair, put my leg up with some ice on it, and wait until I no longer felt like a ragdoll. The only plus I can think of is I don't have the terrible weather elsewhere to deal with...it isn't exactly "SUNNY" Florida at the moment, with rain all day and a cold front moving in, but it is still nothing compared to the snow and ice everyone else is dealing with...but at the moment, going face first into a snow bank actually sounds pretty good. I had a hot flash around 3:00 p.m. that lasted over three hours. My hair at the nape of my neck was wringing wet all afternoon and is only now just drying. The whole ordeal today was exhausting. I love my job, and while I took care to combine sitting, standing and walking, and applied ice to my knee periodically throughout the day, I was as limp as a wet dish rag by the end of the day.

 

[calling_all_angels]

Ahhhhhhhhh Little bear,
I wish you were feeling better. How come you are back full time?? I thought Jo
explained that full time is hard to pull off. I hope you are going to be able to keep this up and do a 40 hour week. I love your name pookerbear. But it reminds me of a book I have read to my 3 Grandsons Little bear Little bear what will you eat.
You have to take care of yourself. Please let me know how tomorrow goes.
^i^

 

[Pookerbear]

Thank you, Angel ! Yes, I know Jo had a wonderful schedule she recommended, but sometimes life interferes :( I plan on only working 5 or 6 hours tomorrow...less, if I can get away with it. The mind is willing but the flesh is weak. I just didn't realize HOW weak until I put in a full day!

My older sister nicknamed me Pookerbear when I was quite young...a blending of the fictional Pookah (like Harvey the Six Foot Rabbit), and a bear (for my growly morning disposition when my family tried to get me up out of bed!) Obviously it stuck all these years, in all it's variations... Pooker...Pook...in fact my sister to this day uses my nickname. And yes, I still hate having to get up in the morning, although I'd like to think my disposition has improved over the past 40-45 years! LOL!!

 

[gayle]

I did survive although it was thick ice everywhere, looks like the snows back thursday I've had to cancel all the training for staff to pull them back onto wards as we have to open extra beds...

 

[Josephine]

Our snow's all gone!

 

[Coppernob]

Well just as I felt I was getting back into the swing of things at work today, my boss told me that he's going to have to cut my hours and so, from next Monday, I'm on a three day week. Even in the few days I'd been back I'd realised how slow things are - I work for a small company that provides training for the social housing sector and in this unpredictable financial climate, the first thing organisations seem to cut back on is training. It's not that'll I mind being at home for a couple of days a week, but I'm not quite sure how we're going to balance the books. All I can do is trust that the Lord will provide as he always has done in the past. Linda x

 

[JudyS]

Linda
I lost my job in the middle of hip replacement and wondered how we would survive.
Somehow it works at least day to day. In your case, I hope you can work it out as it is probably perffect for your recovery.

Judy

 

[Coppernob]

Thanks Judy. I'm sure you're right but at the moment I'm still trying to get my head round it. Linda x

 

[Jamie]

Coppernob....so sorry to hear about the changes in your job. I hope that you are able to see a clear path here real soon. Things always have a way of working out for the best. Most of the time you can find a positive spin on even a bad thing if you keep your eyes, mind and heart open to new things. I agree with Judy that at a minimum, it will aid your recovery.