08/05/2024
I wanted to share this, as it popped up in my memories today.
Itโs actually part of my adventures I havenโt touched on much, but it was quite an experience that changed me in many ways.
When I did my big OE when I turned 40, as I have a dual passport, I had the opportunity to work part of my travels to fund them.
So I got a paid job as a live-in carer.
As part of the training, I did a crash week-long course on basic nursing and carer skills. Then we were assigned our clients.
I remember going to have my first interview with my new client, it was in the county of Kent, but in a town called Orpington (about 30 minutes by train from London) it was very urban and very much off the tourist path.
Then I was off to live with an older couple in their little semi-detached house in suburbia.
Val had MS.
My previous care experience was NIL, not even changing a baby's nappy! And now I was taking care of someone who was 100% dependent on me.
She required full cares. Was tube feed. And was bed-bound.
It was ALOT.
I was isolated not knowing anyone and doing a job that was totally new to me and out of my depth.
It was a 7-day-a-week position, I would get 3 hours off mid-afternoon to myself, in which I would take myself for long walks, find a pub to have lunch, and find any local places to visit that I could do in a 3-hour time frame. I did a lot in those 3 hours!
My clients were lovely people, and Kieth her husband did his best. I did extra work, like cooking his dinner, washing etc and ironing everything.
Val would suffer times of depression, and health complications, for me this was hard as I have an open heart and sometimes care too much.
I went through times of loneliness, frustration, happiness, exhaustion, growth, learning and new connections.
I learnt how to drive a canal boat (we had a couple of canal boat ๐ถ adventures), cook Yorkshire and Rhubarb Pudding, be ok in my own company, use an iron, and do basic nursing dutiesโฆ.plus much more!
I believe now, it really set me up to be self-reliant on my solo travels and just how capable I am, even when thrown in the deep end.
This post is dedicated to Val who passed away 8 years ago this month, and how much I learnt during this experience, and also about myself.