The woman that I have been emailing, phoning and calling for over a week regarding the job her agency are advertising, finally replied to my email on Friday and apologised for the lack of contact as she had been away all week. OK, can live with that.
She asked me when I would be available for a telephone call. I replied straight away and said I could be available at any time to suit her (I don't mind having a conversation at any time as long as we have one !) But I asked could she drop me an email just to let me know roughly when it was likely to be, so that I could make sure I was by the phone (there is nothing like lack of prior warning when you are woken in the middle of the night and need to have a sensible conversation to sell you capabilities when you have just woken with an unexpected jump)
Its now Tuesday afternoon here (and 9.30 at night in Perth) and somehow I'm starting to think I am back to where I was nearly two weeks ago.
Am I asking too much for professional service, from a large professional employment agency, for a professional position? I'm starting to think its me...
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Still Here
Well, I am still here. In the UK that is. Some things have changed a little in the past few weeks. Himself managed to get a job back with his old boss, but this means that he is now working in Kent again and living in a caravan. Its great to get him away from day time television but it means that by the time he gets paid at the end of the month we will have paid out about £1400 in caravan fees and petrol expenses. He can claim back some of the petrol expenses but wont get this until the end of May. He cannot claim back any of the caravan fees sadly. And he is grumpy with a capital G right now. Its looking increasingly as though he is going to have to go onto insulin for his diabetes as we still cant get his blood sugar levels down to where they should be. And he hates being on his own.....
I have still been job hunting myself, both here and in Perth. I do have a job offer here which is good, but I don't start for another month and I will also be working away from home mostly, which is not so good :-( but beggars cant be choosers right now, so I have to just get on with it. Just means I will be up North, Son no 2 will be at home in the Midlands and Himself will be down South.....
I have two jobs that I have applied for in Perth, both of which I am suitably qualified for, have current knowledge etc but do you think I can get to speak to the consultant at the agency who's dealing with the vacancy? Can I heck as like ! I have applied on line, I have emailed as well, have called her office twice and her mobile once. She appears to never return calls or emails. I was starting to think that it is just me, but having spoken to other people who have applied for work in Oz, it seems that what I am experiencing is normal, consultants there appear to be so half soaked and unprofessional compared to the guys back here that I have been dealing with over the past few weeks who were so on the ball it was wonderful and I am full of praise for them.
The house is still full of packed boxes. I have only unpacked the ones which contained vital stuff like interview and work clothes and kitchen stuff, all the others I have left packed or have re packed. Not just because I am hoping above hope that a job in Perth comes off, but because a move from the Little Terraced House may happen any way - long story which I wont go into just yet. Its frustrating and a little depressing keep moving round boxes of 'stuff' so my task whilst I am at home for some of the next few weeks is going to be to de clutter even more than I already had - I know I still have way too much stuff lurking about.
Charlie had his first appointment at Perth Childrens Hospital. They are pleased with his progress since his last op in Birmingham and have roughly scheduled his next op for late this year, early next year. I am so desperate to be out there before then to help my son and daughter in law as much as we can when 'Bruce' (my nickname for Bump no 3) puts in an appearance and to be there for my two beautiful littlies who I am missing sooooooo much. Even though I am SO grateful for skpye, I come off it in tears most times.
So, onwards and upwards !
Elaine, sending you a big, but gentle hug. If there is anything, anything I can do to help, drop me an email xxx
I have still been job hunting myself, both here and in Perth. I do have a job offer here which is good, but I don't start for another month and I will also be working away from home mostly, which is not so good :-( but beggars cant be choosers right now, so I have to just get on with it. Just means I will be up North, Son no 2 will be at home in the Midlands and Himself will be down South.....
I have two jobs that I have applied for in Perth, both of which I am suitably qualified for, have current knowledge etc but do you think I can get to speak to the consultant at the agency who's dealing with the vacancy? Can I heck as like ! I have applied on line, I have emailed as well, have called her office twice and her mobile once. She appears to never return calls or emails. I was starting to think that it is just me, but having spoken to other people who have applied for work in Oz, it seems that what I am experiencing is normal, consultants there appear to be so half soaked and unprofessional compared to the guys back here that I have been dealing with over the past few weeks who were so on the ball it was wonderful and I am full of praise for them.
The house is still full of packed boxes. I have only unpacked the ones which contained vital stuff like interview and work clothes and kitchen stuff, all the others I have left packed or have re packed. Not just because I am hoping above hope that a job in Perth comes off, but because a move from the Little Terraced House may happen any way - long story which I wont go into just yet. Its frustrating and a little depressing keep moving round boxes of 'stuff' so my task whilst I am at home for some of the next few weeks is going to be to de clutter even more than I already had - I know I still have way too much stuff lurking about.
Charlie had his first appointment at Perth Childrens Hospital. They are pleased with his progress since his last op in Birmingham and have roughly scheduled his next op for late this year, early next year. I am so desperate to be out there before then to help my son and daughter in law as much as we can when 'Bruce' (my nickname for Bump no 3) puts in an appearance and to be there for my two beautiful littlies who I am missing sooooooo much. Even though I am SO grateful for skpye, I come off it in tears most times.
So, onwards and upwards !
Elaine, sending you a big, but gentle hug. If there is anything, anything I can do to help, drop me an email xxx
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Update
We have been back in the UK now for 5 weeks and it almost feels like we have never been away. I am still trying as hard as I can to get back out to Perth - I still have my visa, but its a job that I need to support us. My Sister in Law wants us to go back out and work with them again, but to be truthful its probably going to be the last option as the stress caused by their constant fighting, arguing and shouting is almost unbearable. Plus the complete lack of any privacy whilst living in the 'shed'. So I'm trying my hardest to get another job but it is certainly proving difficult.
Back here at The Little Terraced House, we are surrounded by most or our belongings packed in storage boxes. Every thing should have been shipped out to Perth last week, but for now its on hold. So I am at the stage of unpacking essentials such as warm clothes (I don't think I have been warm since we arrived back here) and cooking items, baking trays etc. I want to get the pressure cooker back out, but I know its in box 13 which is under boxes 14, 15, 16 and 17 and behind boxes 24, 25, 26, 27 and three mirrors, and to be truthful its too much effort right now. I located the slow cooker so that will have to do.
Himself has not been at all well since we arrived back. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 12 months ago and we had it fairly well under control until recently. Now we can't seem to get his blood sugar count down to anything near sensible regardless of what we do or what he eats. His blood pressure is also sky high and he is having mood swings which have to be seen to be believed. He does know that he is having them which is one good thing. (Imagine a room full of women with PMT) - well he is like all of them at the same time !!!!!! :-)
I have an interview for a job here tomorrow, so fingers crossed that it comes off as we need finances of some sort whilst we sort out what the heck we do next.
Charlie will be seeing his new medical consultant at the end of this month, so we may know if and when his next op will be. I though I would put some of the details of HLHS on here so you can see the challenges this little man of mine has faced.
This photo was taken last year at Brighton and is one of my favourites. Lewis (Mr hollow legs) had just swiped Charlie's muffin out of his hand and you can see Charlie looking at him as if to say 'Oi give it me back!!'
Back here at The Little Terraced House, we are surrounded by most or our belongings packed in storage boxes. Every thing should have been shipped out to Perth last week, but for now its on hold. So I am at the stage of unpacking essentials such as warm clothes (I don't think I have been warm since we arrived back here) and cooking items, baking trays etc. I want to get the pressure cooker back out, but I know its in box 13 which is under boxes 14, 15, 16 and 17 and behind boxes 24, 25, 26, 27 and three mirrors, and to be truthful its too much effort right now. I located the slow cooker so that will have to do.
Himself has not been at all well since we arrived back. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 12 months ago and we had it fairly well under control until recently. Now we can't seem to get his blood sugar count down to anything near sensible regardless of what we do or what he eats. His blood pressure is also sky high and he is having mood swings which have to be seen to be believed. He does know that he is having them which is one good thing. (Imagine a room full of women with PMT) - well he is like all of them at the same time !!!!!! :-)
I have an interview for a job here tomorrow, so fingers crossed that it comes off as we need finances of some sort whilst we sort out what the heck we do next.
Charlie will be seeing his new medical consultant at the end of this month, so we may know if and when his next op will be. I though I would put some of the details of HLHS on here so you can see the challenges this little man of mine has faced.
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome - which means the left side of the heart does not develop or is under developed
STAGE 1 – Norwood
This surgery is preferably performed in the first week of life. A repair is made to allow the right ventricle to pump blood to both the lungs and the body. Because blood flow must be forceful for the immature lungs, the surgeon creates a tube from a branch of the aorta to the pulmonary artery known as the modified Blalock-Taussing shunt. The baby will still appear blue (cyanotic) after this surgery. Charlie had his done at 1 day old, we hadn't even been able to cuddle him at this stage. 6 hour surgery.
STAGE 2 – bi-directional Glenn or Hemi-Fontan
This surgery is preferrably performed at about 6 months of life when the blood starts to flow more easily and the ventricular force is not needed. The surgeon creates a direct connection between the superior vena cava and the pulmonary artery thus diverting half of the blood flow without the assistance of ventricular force. This reduces the work on the right ventricle by allowing it to only pump blood to the body and allowing all blood from the upper body to the lungs. Charlie had this done at about 8 months old and had to have a third open heart op as the aortic arch kept collapsing. It turned out that his vocal cord nerve was wrapped around it and in doing the repair Charlie lost his voice for nearly two months and the surgeons did not know if he would get it back. He did get his voice back eventually, but it is so distressing watching a baby silently crying in pain....
This surgery is preferrably performed at about 6 months of life when the blood starts to flow more easily and the ventricular force is not needed. The surgeon creates a direct connection between the superior vena cava and the pulmonary artery thus diverting half of the blood flow without the assistance of ventricular force. This reduces the work on the right ventricle by allowing it to only pump blood to the body and allowing all blood from the upper body to the lungs. Charlie had this done at about 8 months old and had to have a third open heart op as the aortic arch kept collapsing. It turned out that his vocal cord nerve was wrapped around it and in doing the repair Charlie lost his voice for nearly two months and the surgeons did not know if he would get it back. He did get his voice back eventually, but it is so distressing watching a baby silently crying in pain....
STAGE 3 – Fontan
This surgery is preferably performed between 18 – 48 months. The surgeon connects the inferior vena cava to the pulmonary artery. This will allow the remaining blood coming back from the body to go directly to the lungs. The final result will be no mixing of blood in the heart with more oxygen rich blood going to the body. This will significantly improve the child’s health and growth.This is the next op that Charlie will have - date as yet unknown.
This surgery is preferably performed between 18 – 48 months. The surgeon connects the inferior vena cava to the pulmonary artery. This will allow the remaining blood coming back from the body to go directly to the lungs. The final result will be no mixing of blood in the heart with more oxygen rich blood going to the body. This will significantly improve the child’s health and growth.This is the next op that Charlie will have - date as yet unknown.
Heart Transplant – May be required.
HLHS requires a life time of follow up care. Most HLHS patients will require heart medications for life. They are at a high risk of heart valve infection (endocarditis) and require antibiotics before dental work and most surgeries. At this time, life expectancy is relatively unknown. 70% of infants who survive heart transplant or the Fontan will survive to the age of 5. Whether he will eventually need a transplant we don't know as yet. All the surgeries carried out for HLHS are palliative care, there is no cure for HLHS, but the series of three ops are hoped to get HLHS children to teenager hood where by if they do need a transplant they would be of a physical size to accept an adults heart if a matching one was available. (it is very rare for a child's heart to be available for fairly obvious reasons)
HLHS requires a life time of follow up care. Most HLHS patients will require heart medications for life. They are at a high risk of heart valve infection (endocarditis) and require antibiotics before dental work and most surgeries. At this time, life expectancy is relatively unknown. 70% of infants who survive heart transplant or the Fontan will survive to the age of 5. Whether he will eventually need a transplant we don't know as yet. All the surgeries carried out for HLHS are palliative care, there is no cure for HLHS, but the series of three ops are hoped to get HLHS children to teenager hood where by if they do need a transplant they would be of a physical size to accept an adults heart if a matching one was available. (it is very rare for a child's heart to be available for fairly obvious reasons)
Birmingham Children's Hospital where Charlie has had his previous 3 majors and 4 minor ops, are wonderful and we know that their survival rate is growing year on year with the ops that they carry out, which does give us hope for the future.
What is so wonderful (in some ways) is that if you saw my little monster, you wouldn't immediately know that he has a life threatening illness which could kill him in a second. He is growing quite well, although Lewis at a year younger is about to over take him in height and weight, and he zips about like most 3 year olds, but get breathless quickly and goes blue, so he has to have plenty of quiet times to give him breathing space - not easy when your 3 year old head says 'I want to go and do xxxx' !!
This five weeks is the longest I have been apart from my little monsters and I am missing them so much that it hurts. Talking to them on skype is just not the same as a hot sweaty hug, and hearing Charlie saying, 'Nana you get in your car and come to my house now!' breaks my heart.
This photo was taken last year at Brighton and is one of my favourites. Lewis (Mr hollow legs) had just swiped Charlie's muffin out of his hand and you can see Charlie looking at him as if to say 'Oi give it me back!!'
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Frugal Queen
I read with great interest Frugal Queens post tonight. She is one of my hero's and I applaud how hard she has worked to get to where she is now - no mean feat and plenty of self sacrifice, but with an unending purpose, a huge goal in front of her that she WILL achieve.
We know too here at the Little Terraced House how much life has changed in the past two years. Much of it I'm not ready to talk about here yet, some of it is too painful and still real and biting everyday, but one thing I do know for sure, we are not yet totally beaten, I'm still fighting and trying to get some semblance of our lives back. The latest setback with Perth and the littlies being the other side of the world, is still to be resolved, but I haven't give up and like Froogs I will keep going.
We know too here at the Little Terraced House how much life has changed in the past two years. Much of it I'm not ready to talk about here yet, some of it is too painful and still real and biting everyday, but one thing I do know for sure, we are not yet totally beaten, I'm still fighting and trying to get some semblance of our lives back. The latest setback with Perth and the littlies being the other side of the world, is still to be resolved, but I haven't give up and like Froogs I will keep going.
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Baby Bump
Today my darling daughter in law had her 20 weeks scan. As Charlie, No 1 Grandson has Hyper Plastic Left Heart Syndrome (left side of the heart did not grow), Lewis, No 2 Grandson and Bump No 3 have had detailed heart scans at 20 weeks gestation. Lewis's heart was fine, no problems with that little live wire at all, I am pleased to say.
Bump no 3 had their heart scan today and I am pleased to say no problems found at all, great news.
Oh, and its another boy !
More cuddles for Nana - if I can only get a job back in Perth.
A job which I would have really really really loved (combining my love for my work and gardening) went before I could apply and I am so sad, it would have been the best job in the world (Sarah, I know you will know what I mean.......) They have at least said they will keep me on file for the future.
All I can do is keep trying....
Bump no 3 had their heart scan today and I am pleased to say no problems found at all, great news.
Oh, and its another boy !
More cuddles for Nana - if I can only get a job back in Perth.
A job which I would have really really really loved (combining my love for my work and gardening) went before I could apply and I am so sad, it would have been the best job in the world (Sarah, I know you will know what I mean.......) They have at least said they will keep me on file for the future.
All I can do is keep trying....
Wednesday, 13 February 2013
A Week of Highs and Lows
We arrived back late on Monday night and two hours into an exhausted sleep I had a phone call from a Perth company that I had sent a CV to for a position that was advertised. A Skype interview was arranged for the following afternoon which lasted nearly an hour and a half. A second Skype interview was then arranged for 12 hours later with a panel of 4 senior managers and directors - this also seemed to go OK and lasted well over an hour. I then received an email from the HR department (this is a major international company) to say that their may be a further round of interviews before the decision was made, but that she would be in touch with me early this week to give me feedback on how the interviews had gone. I have to say I was quietly hopeful but refused to get my hopes up.
I hadn't heard anything by this morning, so I dropped a courtesy email through to the HR dept but hadn't heard anything back by close of office hours.
Then, half an hour ago when checking a job search site that I use and discovered what I think is the same job, now being offered by an agency, and only posted 20 MINUTES prior to my logging on to the site !!
I feel gutted, just a simple email saying thanks but no thanks would have been polite and professional, but to apparently have re listed the same job now with an agency - well, that's not nice.
I was already feeling pretty low, but right this minute I feel, well crap.
I hadn't heard anything by this morning, so I dropped a courtesy email through to the HR dept but hadn't heard anything back by close of office hours.
Then, half an hour ago when checking a job search site that I use and discovered what I think is the same job, now being offered by an agency, and only posted 20 MINUTES prior to my logging on to the site !!
I feel gutted, just a simple email saying thanks but no thanks would have been polite and professional, but to apparently have re listed the same job now with an agency - well, that's not nice.
I was already feeling pretty low, but right this minute I feel, well crap.
Thursday, 7 February 2013
One Week Later
Last weekend was hard. We spent most of it with my son, daughter in law and Charlie and Lewis. We had moved to a hotel for the weekend and for the first time since we had been in Perth, the family came to us, it just hadn't been practical for them to visit us when we were living in the 'shed'.
Charlie wanted to stay with us and wanted to know where his T bed was (he has Thomas the Tank Engine bedlinen on his bed back in the UK) he was most indignant that Nana hadn't got his bed there at 'Nana's Hotel House'. It was so hard to spend time with them all knowing that soon we would be getting on the flight back to the UK......
Sunday we just chilled out over at my son's house. He had suggested that we go to the beach for the afternoon, but the temperature was nudging 40 degrees again, so we gave it a miss and just spent time together, talking, drinking tea and playing with the littlies - hands, knees and whoops-a-daisy was the order of the day with Lewis booming Tra La La Laaaaaaaaaaaaaa at the top of his voice at the end of each round of moves. He had us all in stitches as he bounced up and down the long hall way shouting his head off.
Sadly the day went far too fast and the goodbyes came at tea time. We hugged long and hard and Charlie got really upset again as he wanted to go with Nana and Grandad to 'Nana's Hotel House' and we had to leave him crying in his dads arms shouting 'Nana Come back!
I drove around the corner out of sight and sat and broke my heart crying, Hubby was teary eyed too but he was trying to be strong for both of us. We were both pretty quiet on our way back to Perth to drop off the car and get back to the hotel. The packing was finished off and we tried to get a couple of hours sleep before we had to get the taxi to the airport at 3.00 am.
Almost 24 hours later we were back in the UK. And my heart hurts.
Charlie wanted to stay with us and wanted to know where his T bed was (he has Thomas the Tank Engine bedlinen on his bed back in the UK) he was most indignant that Nana hadn't got his bed there at 'Nana's Hotel House'. It was so hard to spend time with them all knowing that soon we would be getting on the flight back to the UK......
Sunday we just chilled out over at my son's house. He had suggested that we go to the beach for the afternoon, but the temperature was nudging 40 degrees again, so we gave it a miss and just spent time together, talking, drinking tea and playing with the littlies - hands, knees and whoops-a-daisy was the order of the day with Lewis booming Tra La La Laaaaaaaaaaaaaa at the top of his voice at the end of each round of moves. He had us all in stitches as he bounced up and down the long hall way shouting his head off.
Sadly the day went far too fast and the goodbyes came at tea time. We hugged long and hard and Charlie got really upset again as he wanted to go with Nana and Grandad to 'Nana's Hotel House' and we had to leave him crying in his dads arms shouting 'Nana Come back!
I drove around the corner out of sight and sat and broke my heart crying, Hubby was teary eyed too but he was trying to be strong for both of us. We were both pretty quiet on our way back to Perth to drop off the car and get back to the hotel. The packing was finished off and we tried to get a couple of hours sleep before we had to get the taxi to the airport at 3.00 am.
Almost 24 hours later we were back in the UK. And my heart hurts.
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