It's been awhile since I found time to jot down my thoughts here... I was going stir crazy at home and thinking about all my work responsibilities piling up during my absence which made me get back to reality two weeks sooner than expected. I'm struggling daily with not falling back into the same negative rut I was in before my surgery. My job is very intense and stressful and completely out of control for just one person to handle. I committed to myself that I am only one person and to give the 100% I am capable of and not consume myself with stress and worry about what has not been accomplished in my 8 hr work day.
I run a Foundation for a long term care facility... it is challenging in itself to get donors to support a long term care facility. It is run by a board of directors of 14 with members from the community that are all unique and challenging in their own right. Working with these volunteers to get my job done has been one of the greatest challenges in my life so far. My job is rewarding and the atmosphere I work in is more like an extended family and home than a job. It does has some aspects that keep you in the reality of the fact that is is a Job but it is amazing most days to wake up and be happy your going to work.
I have always gotten bored quite easily and have made many changes in the job department looking for something worth my 100%. With this job there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish the expectations of this position and that can be overwhelming but I could never complain of being bored for sure! Interacting and being in a close community life with our residents and working in their home fills me up and it overflows most days... I love the interaction I have with them and that they look forward to me just as much as I do with them everyday. I have some what of a daily routine ritual from our Kinsmen workshop residents leaving in the morning for "work" and the good morning routine and welcome we have with each other. I have residents who stop by everyday from 5 to 10mins to 1/2 hr visits like clock work... I even have one residents husband who comes by everyday @ 4pm just before I head home to tell me about his day.... He's 86 and they just celebrated 60 years... INSPIRATION!!!
Working in a long term care facility gives you appreciation for life and the complete journey that is life... I have witnessed residents as young as 35 with MS struggle with being a mom with four kids stuck in a LTC facility and how unfair that seems to the rest of the world and how tragic that would feel to me. I am 36 and I cant imagine living a day in her shoes and wonder WHY??? what purpose of living through this was she brought into this world??? I've watched Alzheimer's patients come in who are just starting to have memory loss and seen their journey through to the end of this terrible disease and how difficult that is for their loved ones. I've witnessed residents brought to our home and family never visit and the loneliness that eventually kills the soul and residents who have family who visit everyday and see the true meaning of love and family to the very end of one's journey here on this earth.
It is an environment that is challenging to work in for many reasons but just as rewarding for all the same reasons. I did not ever once think that I would be working as I am today... This job fell into my lap and I take pride in what I do... I am blessed to be apart of the daily lives of the 120 residents who call my work their Home and although challenging and frustrating dealing with the politics and union BS that goes with it I wouldn't change a thing about where I am today in my life. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and this job has enabled me to grow and believe in myself like nothing else in my life has. I have met so many people and from many walks of life because of this job. I feel like I am able to make a difference in just giving 100% of my abilities and that is so rewarding to my heart & soul... It has healed something in me that was damaged beyond repair I thought.
I do this job because I love who it has made me become in life... I would love to work for a larger foundation one day but in saying that I'm not sure it would give me the same satisfaction without the personal one on one interaction with the people I work so hard for everyday? Can I do this for another 19yrs though? I ask myself this all the time and I look always at job ads just in case something else is out there I never thought of trying... It's just in my nature to always try new things and move on... I just hope that this job because I am so emotionally attached does not burn me out... that's my goal right now... do what you can... with what you have... and with what is in your control!
Jenn~
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