Batteries Not Included

Well that’s it….. jobs a good ‘un.

I have said my goodbyes at work and awoken this morning to a leisurely 3 weeks before my flights. (yeah right) And I can confirm that they are booked and I can even announce that my return flights home NEXT Christmas are also booked (thank God I can face my niece now who was likely to inflict actual bodily harm this Christmas day)! I can also confirm that the charity has just signed a new lease on a ‘compound’ where I will be having my own individual flat (eek *gulp*).

I had emotional day as I said goodbye on Wednesday to the people at work I admire the most – my OT’s. And I think the money for my collection had been used on bribing a few of them to say some nice words about me which truly were very touching.

 Saying goodbye to the OT team was such a hard thing to do and my eyes are still stinging from the process (and my head still banging from my choice of coping mechanism – Blackberry Brandy, who’d of thought espresso cocktails could be displaced so quickly?! ).

My partner in crime, Debbie and my PA Sam did an amazing job in making the afternoon memorable, and so I have to give a huge public thanks to them. I also want to go all soppy and tell the team again how much I will miss them all very much as well as a few of my close colleagues amongst the team managers, physio’s, PA’s  L&D, CCU………. ( Oh quick pass the Brandy, I’m going to blub again!!)

I also had a civilised coffee and cake ‘do’ earlier in the week with people from my corridor (inc the senior management team) and was given the most spectacular cake and flowers:

 

So all in all 3 send offs, several bottles of alcohol and some lovely hand made gifts that I will treasure forever isn’t bad.

Right, anyone know how someone starts one of these new life thingies – can’t even find the place to put the batteries   (suggestions NOT welcome!!!) 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

XxX

The Long Goodbye

For anyone who’s worked with people with dementia they’ll recognise the title as a phrase used to describe the gradual sensation and experience of saying goodbye to a loved one suffering with this devastating illness.

While I would never liken my experiences to those suffering with dementia, I too would like to suggest that I am encountering my own ‘long goodbye’.

To start with, of course there is no doubt that I have slightly lost my marbles – clearly no-one in their right mind would choose to go and live and work in West Africa when:

1)      They hate hot weather

2)      They find going to the toilet in Greece traumatic, never mind having to dig their own hole to squat over.

3)      There is a chance they will once again being subjected to polluted coffee (‘what exactly is chicory’ remains one of life’s unanswered questions)

In fact I am considering suing friends/family & colleagues for not having completed a Capacity Act Assessment on me before allowing me to give up my home and way of life altogether. Didn't we establish during my last blog that i wasn't safe to be left alone!!?!

Well, in addition to clearly being clinical insane, I am finding that the random hugs from colleagues as I say my ever increasing goodbyes, quite alarming, . It’s weird to think that there are so many people I am never going to see in my life again. I admit however that this thought is at times followed by something akin to a post coital glow, depending on who I’m saying cheerio to.

Talking about all things coital, I managed to have a rather amazing screaming orgasm during my official goodbye ‘do’ last Thursday.  Thanks to my team for making it happen! I have been accused in the past of enjoying work a little too much, but my staff took me to new dizzy heights last week! Oh I certainly did the night in style, my legs were wrapped around my neck, and everything. I have to say though that some of my team drive a hard bargain. The person who was not impressed with the leg wrapping party trick until I had done both legs, certainly put me in my place. Also the staff member who responded to my rather emotional “oh I want to take each and every one of you with me, sniff, sniff” with………………………..

 ……………….. “mmmm this sauce would be nice with a bit more chilli in it”

snapped me out of my melancholy instantly!!

Seriously I had an absolutely fabulous night with some of my favourite people from work, thank you to those who came and made it special. It was just a shame that I woke up and realised that I was the only one actually drinking and so I expect that I was probably alone in enjoying myself – and any iota of respect that my team and colleagues still had for me has now clearly gone out of the window! It also means that the only incriminating photos of people behaving oddly are of me:

(And no, I have no idea what I was doing)

Anyway, just 7 more farewell filled work days left….. do you think I if get repetitive strain injury or even chapped arms from hugging I can fill in an incident form and then file a claim against the organisation? Wait a sec, then I won’t have to go to West Africa after all.  I can have one long holiday from the compensation…………………. quick where are those senior managers…… HUUUUUGGGGGS

XxX