Working Joys

Today marked the end of my first week of going out to work for a whole year... a whole year!!

It has been a tough old year, but so worth the journey. 

Last March I left my old job after 18 long, hard months of battling with the symptoms of my Endometriosis, two pseudo-menopauses and a laparoscopy, all while working full-time, commuting and dealing with problems in the workplace due to my health. It was a hard decision, but one I knew I had to make if I were to ever feel well again.

Last April I set up the Patch, as a way of expanding my love of blogging and attempting to sell some of the jewellery and other handicrafts that I began making. The shop never really succeeded, but keeping the blog has sure been fun, and led to several things...

In June, we relocated and moved into our new home. This was a big change for us both, and although our house feels more like a home now than it did back then, there are still things we would like to add to it!

In September I began a weekly series for iVillage UK on the topic of trying to conceive, particularly in relation to doing so with Endometriosis. This was a MASSIVE step for me, writing for a bigger audience, and is something I still relish writing each week.

In October, we tied the knot. We were ready to become husband and wife and had a glorious day celebrating with our loved ones. 

October also saw me feeling recovered enough to start looking for part-time work, hoping to find something before falling pregnant.

In November I had my Mirena Coil removed and we began trying to conceive in earnest. 

In January, much to our surprise, we discovered I was indeed pregnant, and I was still unemployed. Don't get me wrong... I would much rather be pregnant and unemployed than employed and struggling to fall pregnant, but it did throw a spanner into the works when we had expected to be trying for quite a bit longer!

I began to fret about this because of just how ill I felt. I panicked that I had only just started to feel well and then the pregnancy was taking all my energy and making me feel even worse than I had just over a year ago. I began to worry I would never feel like my old self again.

I left my previous job very run down and with my confidence and self-esteem knocked to the ground. I had to work hard to overcome the fears of returning to work. And I now had a new worry... how would I balance working with being a mother?

I knew, going into the pregnancy, that I would have to work once the baby was born, but I was terrified of getting into another job role where I became so run down on top of the demands of parenthood that I couldn't be the best I could be for my husband and child. I worried a lot...

But I have been incredibly blessed this year and this week has shown me just how much I have grown in the past year, and how much more I could grow in the future. Just like the flowers in our garden, I am just beginning to show my face to the world and shine in the sunlight.

My first week at work has been challenging, to say the least, but it has been so rewarding in many more ways. I had given me a sense of purpose, and taken me out of the house that had begun to feel like a prison after 2 months of staring at the same four walls feeling sorry for myself. It has reminded me how much I actually enjoy working, so long as that work does not push me beyond my physical limits. And it has shown me that although it will be hard, being a part-time working mum, part-time stay-at-home-mum will be a very good option for me.

This is good. 

Now, if only the remaining nausea/sickness would disappear, I would say life was about as perfect as it could be right now!

Have a lovely weekend, all. I shall see you again next week sometime xx

 

Comments

[Jen]

You know, when you put it this way... it has been quote a year for you! (Makes me tired just reading about it :oP)

Through it all, I'm glad to see that it is really all about proper balance isn't it? The proper balance between all the pieces make them all much more enjoyable.

Good for you!

[Onesie Mommy]

Hi Amanda,

I finally got a chance to check out your blog since you visited mine a few weeks back. Congratulations on your pregnancy and welcome to the Onesie Mommy club!

You mentioned that you were due in September. My daughter was born in September. Gorgeous time of year! Do you know what you're having?

Anyway, hope to connect with you soon. Keep me posted on how you're doing. We Onesie Mommies have to stick together!

Paula

[Elaine Kneller]

So proud of you Amanda, thank you for sharing your personal life with us all.

Lots of love to you, Tim and little one. xx