A lot of water under the bridge…

Tomorrow is the end of my second to last week as a Social Worker. My job is winding down as I finish up and don’t take on any more work. Next week will be tidying up a few loose ends and then having my farewells with my teams, both on the ward and my fellow Social Workers.

I am in a reflective mood as I think about my working life and my time especially in the past 11 years. Many things have happened in my life and I have lived through them and with them with those that I have worked with.

In my 11 years, I have:

• Supported Social Work students in their studies through mentorship.
• Initiated a change in legislation for IRD that has had a positive effect throughout the country.
• Supported patients and their families as they progressed with their rehabilitation.
• Been supported by my team through some of the most difficult times in my life, including:
  • The passing of my beloved eldest son far too young at 38.
  • My diagnosis with Parkinson’s.
  • Various operations on my shoulder, my knee, my fingers and the recovery from them.
• I have worked constantly on the same ward and have seen other Social Work colleagues come and go while I remained. It has been a privilege to work with them all.
• I have seen the ward change in it’s focus and seen my team change with it.
• I have had successes where I have felt I have truly made a difference.
• I have had challenges where I have felt helpless and unable to help people with insurmountable problems, but tried to be there to support them.
• I have had days where I wish I had a magic wand so that I could fix all the things that need fixing for people.
• I have had lots of laughter and not infrequent tears over the 11 years, but through it all I have been supported by my team and they by me.
• I have learned a lot, but know there is always more to learn.
• I have received grateful thanks from those I work with and at times anger that I could not fix what was unfixable.

Through it all, I have tried to be honest and true to myself and to be someone that can be trusted.

I have tried to act with integrity in all that I do and be someone that can be relied on in all that I say.

Next week, when I walk away from my job for the last time, I do so in the knowledge that I have always tried to do my best.

I leave with grace and dignity as I move forward in this final chapter in my life.