Enjoy your work!

I had a job I loved... and it ruined my life!

Okay, so I may be being a tiny bit dramatic but this is pretty much how I feel at the moment.  It's a feeling I wasn't able to shake for most of 2016.

I should make it clear at this point that since I started having problems with my EDS and had to drop out of sixth form (twice) any career ambition I may have had was gone. I wanted to be a midwife but I couldn't handle long shifts or being on my feet for large periods of time. I wanted to work in a job where I was good at what I did, had a relative amount of responsibility (but nothing majorly stressful - which counts out working with the general public) but could go home at the end of the day and leave work at work.

I started my working life as a Legal Secretary and I hated it.  Despite the fact that the Solicitors I worked for were brilliant, the nature of the work made it somewhat unbearable.  It was a criminal law firm and they were defending criminals - there were a few innocent people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time but they were the rare ones.  Clients were often very verbally abusive and I was often the only one in the building to deal with the situation.  As an 18 year old girl that was scary.  I stuck it out for just under 3 years; it was good money considering I was fresh out of school (it started off well and I had a couple of pay rises after performance appraisals), the people were supportive and I just didn't feel I could leave something where I was considered to be doing well.  Eventually I got very depressed, to the point where I would sob the whole way to work.  My husband (very soon after we got together) gave me the confidence to hand my notice in and walk away.  I did this with no prospects of a new job and just did agency work (making minimum wage) to keep myself going until something better came along.

I've always been fascinated by medicine so when a job came up at my local hospital as a Clinical Typist for the Paediatric Department I jumped at the chance to apply for it.  Little did I know it would be the single best career decision I ever made.  It is the only job I have ever had where I NEVER looked for other jobs.  I was never unhappy about going to work (even when we had an alcoholic working with us and being quite hostile).  I got up every morning and looked forward to it - I'd often do about 15 hours overtime a week, which was great for the money (I got paid time and a half) but also didn't feel like work.  Unfortunately, when we relocated I couldn't continue with the 30 minute commute as we had one car between us and I found a new job quicker than ALS.

I had a job in a lab for a while, which was impossible as I was on my feet all day and this was my lowest point.  In August 2016, I started working in the Maternity/Gynae Department at my local hospital.  This was in an admin capacity and was quite interesting.  However, it was hard work whilst I was going through the fertility treatment - although it had its perks when I ran out of medication or needed advice.  By Christmas it had gotten to a point where we were seriously overstaffed and I spent most of my time twiddling my thumbs.

In December, I was approached by my old manager and asked if I would be interested in returning to my old job in Paediatrics.  We have now become a 2 car family and ALS has a more local job, so I jumped at the chance.  Tomorrow, I am heading back to that job and I absolutely can't wait.  I'm looking forward to looking forward to work again.  

Admittedly, they might not be thrilled when they find out I'm pregnant but enjoying your job is so important for a happy life.  Plus, now I can actually imagine myself not entirely hating going back to work when I've had kids - instead of ending up depressed, tearing myself away from my baby and going to a job I hate.

Excited does not even cover it!