RL stuff--Changes and updates.

[madeleone]

Well there has been a lot of stuff going on and I really have not updated on LJ for quite awhile, so here goes. For anyone interested there will be lots of rambling about RL so I'm putting this under the cut to spare the flist.

I retired from my job in mid November. This was partially by choice and partially not. For those that don't know, my job was in home health care as a Physical Therapist Assistant and I worked at this agency three days a week for the past twenty-one years. But I'd been asking since last March to reduce my hours as I was finding my job more and more stressful. A few years ago they started putting more patients on my schedule and sending me farther distances away and it was getting harder and harder for me to get through the day between treatment time and travel time without working extremely long hours. When I asked to cut back, at first the manager I spoke with was very supportive—you know, telling me, oh sure we can do that, no problem. I'll take care of it. I've since decided this is just a ploy to put you off as long as possible. After several weeks of not hearing anything back I spoke with her again and it was as if she had no idea what I was talking about. Then she again told me she'd look into it.

Well, after about four months she told me there simply weren't any available positions with fewer hours and the agency is not creating any new ones at this time. So at that point I said I wanted to go to a casual position with limited hours of no more that two days a week. (this is someone with no set hours but who fills in when things get busy or someone takes a day off or peoples schedules become swamped). I know in the past there have been numerous people hired as casual employees and often workers wanting to cut back ease into these type of positions. She told me she'd check into it but after being strung along for another four months I was told again that there weren't any open casual positions and they weren't planning on creating any more.

At this point, I reviewed our income with hubby's pension and and SS, and our investments and our monthly bills. We decided it was do-able and after getting the run around for eight months, I finally just got fed up and turned in my resignation. It's been over two months and so far everything is going okay. Cash is a little tight, but not bad. It will be another two plus years before I can draw SS benefits, but so far so good. We do have a comfortable savings as well to fall back on, so barring any major catastrophes, I think we'll be okay.

I really don't miss work at all, but I must admit I do feel a little bitter at the way it all ended after working there for twenty-one years. I have since found out there was another PTA in the one of the northern territories who got pretty much the same treatment. That poor woman had already had a heart attack and two open heart surgeries in the past. She'd returned to work part-time several years ago but now wanted to cut back her hours more and was also given the same story I was. I used to think very highly of the company I worked for but now I have a different view.

In other happier news the Christmas season was great this year (as opposed to last year-2012-when, as some of you might recall, hubby spent ten days in a psych unit, but he is doing well now.) We had a get together the weekend before Christmas, which all four of our kids and their families were able to attend, at oldest son's home in Traverse City. That was great as since the kids have grown it is often very difficult to arrange time that works in everyone's schedules.

My third child and oldest daughter K is expecting her first baby in April, so we are very excited for that. It's a boy, but they are keeping the name a secret for now. We just had her baby shower Jan 18^th and had a nice turn out and got lots of great gifts. (This will be grandchild #3 for us as oldest son has a boy who just turned four last Friday and a girl who is one and a half).

And my younger son, the teacher without a job, now has a full time job as of this week. He had subbed for four years then got hired last year full time. But at the end of the year due to cut-backs he was laid off and had to go back to subbing. But the teacher (who had higher tenure) who took over his class found a job in a different school district and so T got hired back in. We are in hopes that after this half a year, they will keep him on. He says he will probably still get laid off, as they do that with all teachers with less than 5 years seniority, but his chances of getting called back are better now. Fingers crossed on that one.

Now we just have to get youngest daughter and son-in-law settled. He graduated law school last January in the top of his class--number five or six I think out of 450 students, and passed the bar in June. He applied to USAF- JAG in October and is still waiting to hear back. He kind of had his heart set on that, but if something doesn't happen with that soon he will need to pursue something else. So keep your fingers crossed for them.

Since retiring, I have been doing a little bit of writing, not as much as I'd like but at least I'm still plugging away. I have been doing a ton of reading, so that's very good, since I love to read. :) And I've started watching seasons of TV shows on Netflix. Once summer comes I am hoping now that I don't have to be back for work (which always limited our trips), we will be able to take some longer camping vacations. And we are considering another long trip in the next year or two.

So that's whats up with me. :)

Comments

[miamadwyn.livejournal.com]

What are you doing about health insurance until you are old enough for Medicare? My husband is five years older than I am and I've wondered what I'll do when he retires!

[madeleone]

Luckily my hubby retired from General Motors and has a very good health insurance policy. I never had insurance from my job, since I was part-time, but I was covered under his insurance.

[delphipsmith]

SO glad you were able to leave a job that was overworking you, but that stinks they didn't treat you better after all the years you gave them >:| Lots of lovely family things going on, it sounds like -- congratulations! JAG would be cool, hope he gets it. Maybe he can prosecute some of these military sex abuse cases we're finally hearing about!

[madeleone]

Thanks, Delph. Like I said I really don't miss work at all, which is kind of sad because I used to love my job, I really did. But for the past several years I mostly hated it, except for my patients (aside from the occasional crotchety old curmudgeon) I still loved them. But as for the long hours, feeling unappreciated, having an ever growing pile of documentation, ever changing rules and policies, reduced vacation time... I don't miss any of that at all.

I hope C gets the JAG thing too. He really, really wants it, but from what I hear the competition is brutal. Still, keeping our fingers and toes crossed. :)

[blueartemis07.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear from you! ~BIG HUGS~ sounds like there are lots of good things going on.

[madeleone]

Thanks, sweetie. *hugs* you back. Yep lots of changes and adjustments but over-all, it's for the good. :)

[junewilliams7.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a lot! I am glad you had a normal Christmas holiday with all your kids. Sounds like your job was way too stressful. Plus, *IF* anything does happen again to your hubby, you'll be nearby instead of on the road somewhere. *HUGS*

And what is son-in-law doing while he waits to hear from JAG?

[madeleone]

Yup the holidays were so much better than last year. :)

*Hugs* you back.

Over the the summer and into late fall the SIL worked for his dad who owns a masonry business. They do a lot of fancy stonework, walls, fireplaces, etc. Since he hasn't heard back from JAG yet he has started applying to a few other places around the state( a prosecutors office, a sheriff's department, and a few other places). C's undergrad degree is criminal justice and he has always wanted to go into something like FBI, Homeland Security, etc, (my daughter was not so keen on that idea, but agreed for him to try going the military route if he could get into JAG). Right now they are living in his sister & brother-in-laws basement, so not an ideal situation. I really hope something comes up soon. ;)

[helenarickman.livejournal.com]

Adjusting to your newly retired life has to be difficult. Knowing your children are in more secure situations has to lessen the burden of your worries - it sounds like things may be looking up! Congrats on the grandchild....I'm hoping one will be in my not-so-distant future as well :)

[madeleone]

It is an adjustment. A lot of people told me I'd be bored, but so far. I have no problem spending my time reading, writing, watching netflix and visiting my kids and grand-kids. :)

[talesofsnape.livejournal.com]

Grrr! Aaaarghhh! I hate it when employers pull those sort of tricks and I'm so glad for you that you've been able to get out from under.

Hope the writing goes well and that it doesn't get buried by baby knitting, though baby knitting can be pretty satisfying in a different way. Will reply to email when I'm on a laptop rather than my phone. Huge hugs. S

[madeleone]

I know. I really am quite happy not to be working there anymore, but initially the financial aspect worried me which is why I didn't just resign to begin with. It seems to be working out okay so far though, so I am happy to have much less stress in my life. ;)

[libertyelyot.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad things seem so much better for you and your family than they were this time last year - especially your husband.

Your employers are arses, but I hear that's not unusual :(. Take care of yourself and spend some time enjoying the peace and time you have now. And your grandchildren! Best of luck to the new little lad! xxx

[madeleone]

Thanks, hon. I agree they were arses. But since I am much happier now I think it was the right decision to leave. I'm sure it was all about cutting costs. After I left I spoke with our scheduler and she told me that management was not planning on filling my position, which meant my co workers would be stuck picking up the 15 to 18 visits per week that I was seeing.

Looking forward to the new grand baby in 10 weeks. Next week we are going to visit the other two up north. See, lots of things to keep us busy. :)

[paisleysnail.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

I'm sorry to hear that your work treated you so shabbily - but yay for all the good family news and time to travel etc!

[madeleone]

Thanks, sweetie *hugs you back* I'm enjoying myself. :)

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

It sounds to me as though you are ready to rock retirement!

[madeleone]

No big plans a this time, but spending lots of time doing stuff I enjoy. :)

[m-mcgonagall-65.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're finding a way to make retirement work! I hope things settle around for all your kids and their significant others. Enjoy your writing, watching, and visiting!

[madeleone]

Well originally I wanted to reduce my hours, not quit entirely, but after being off for two months I have no desire to return to work. I can find lots of things to do to keep busy. :)