So

I feel like I've had to hit the ground running this week.

I couldn't post about this last week, because it hadn't happened yet, but one of the people I was friendly with at work ended up getting fired. I think all of us at work, including my ex-co-worker knew this was coming. In any event, I've pretty much inherited all of their cases, which means I am now insanely busy. I will be taking a bunch of new clients into the community as well which is always a challenge because there is SO much work involved with discharges, between finding an apartment for the client to live in, to making sure all entitlements are set up properly. And then of course there are always a million and one things that happen with new clients that you can't predict.

So even though I am going to be super crazy now, this is good because it also will allow me to possibly make some extra money once I bring them on (our agency will give us bonuses if we can bring new clients on quickly, and also if we agree to carry extra cases beyond the agency maximum requirement).

I do feel bad for my friend though but I do sometimes think they may have known what they were doing. They weren't a social worker either (just had a BA and minimum amount of experience required for our position), and used to tell me frequently that they didn't like our job at all. So I think it probably worked out for everyone for the best.


DH is still struggling a lot with the business right now and has been talking about taking on a P/T job somewhere at night to help out in getting through the lean times. I wonder though in this economy----what is even going to be available. So this obviously continues to be pretty stressful for us.

TGIF again

It's been kind of a long week.

Both DS and I have come down with a stomach virus (he's better now at least), me, I'm hopefully headed in that direction.

DH is going through a lot of stuff which in turn has been rubbing off on me and my mood. Also having some pretty big struggles with his business.

I had a client get mad at me this week because they were basically just looking to blame SOMEONE for their predicament. They ended up telling a bunch of lies about me in front of the team (I think everyone hopefully is wise enough to know that none of it's true). They asked for a new social worker, and I am fine with that.

There's also some other stuff going on at work that is probably a good thing for me, but not for some other people (can't really post details just yet).

I went to the dentist and found out I need a wisdom tooth pulled ASAP. I'm kinda scared because I've never had a tooth pulled and I am expecting the worst!

My laptop broke earlier this week so I had to get a new one. The new one wasn't that expensive, and I am paying it off 6 months interest free, but still, who wants ANOTHER bill?

I also blew off yoga every day this week for absolutely no good reason. *Sigh*.

All in all, I know that these are just small things and life could be so much worse!

Happy weekend all!

Keeping details from clients

So one of my people who had bed bugs, also received a bill for close to $1000.00 for the treatment.

They of course (as I knew they would) flipped out and refused to pay because in their eyes, either the apartment complex or our agency should be responsible. I knew I could recommend they go to DSS and ask for a "one-shot-deal" to pay, however, they do have a special needs trust as a result of the settlement of their accident, with a decent (not huge) amount of cash in there that would most likely make them ineligible for this "emergency" money.

As a tax-payer in this county, I personally agree with this rule. It sucks, but if you do have $$$$ available you need to tap into that (again IMO) first, before you request tax-payer money to pay. Especially because there are people in worse situations that need access to these kinds of emergency funds.

SO......I decided to call their trustee and ask if they could take the $$$$ out of the trust as well as purchase them a new piece of furniture that they threw out as a result of the bed bug infestation. The trustee agreed on the condition that I not inform my client where the $$$$$ came from. (Again because the client will FREAK knowing this is her $$$$$$).

I talked it over with my supervisor, who felt that this was okay, because as this client's social worker, I really do not have a say how the funds in their trust be spent.

I've been telling my client that I found a resource in the community that would pay their bill and purchase them new furniture.

I also am not sharing the resource with most of the rest of the team because I don't want to take the chance that someone tells them where I came up with the $$$$$$.

What do you think? Am I being deceitful? Should I have kept this info from my client? One of my co-workers told me I was overthinking this too much and that I should feel grateful that my client has a trust they can tap into when needed.

Wow

A client who can be a real PITA at times sent me a note thanking me for taking them seriously and providing them assistance that they need for some tough things they are dealing with. It was really nice to hear that for once and reminds me why I do what I do and enjoy it so much, despite the bad days that happen. It probably seems like I complain a lot about what I do, but I have to admit......I really like my job (and even my real PITA clients) a lot.

Fall is on its way!

This is one of my favorite times of year.

I can start baking again, light candles that fill my home with spicy scents, and wear hoodies and boots again.

It's a cool, overcast day out right now and I've been sipping tea all morning (something else I rarely do when the weather is warm).

I'm trying to figure out what to do with myself today. DH is planning to watch football all day (NOT a favorite fall pastime of mine!).

I am thinking of either going to a local fall craft festival if it doesn't start to rain, or maybe wandering around the outlets. I'm in the mood for a Christmas Tree Shop fix!

Great yoga work-out

I got my bootie up early this morning and made it to the 7:30AM class. I feel so good! I'm so glad I went. Now I also have the whole rest of the day ahead of me..........I am going to try to get up for tommorrow's early class as well. I just made sure to drink plenty of water as soon as I woke up and was able to make it through the 90 minutes in the heat.

We are going to a BBQ shortly. I am looking forward to some more good eats, rest and relaxation. The hot weather is also starting to go away too. I can't complain about that. I love fall so bring it on!

Ah..........

I just woke up from a nice nap. And my son is still sleeping too :D. I never do this, but I guess it's the overcast weather that is making me sleepy. Speaking of weather, it doesn't look so far like we are going to get much of a hurricane here. It has been raining off and on all day, but the last news report I saw a few hours ago is that we probably will not get hit with much of anything and they have downgraded the storm to a category 1. I am certainly NOT complaining about this.


On another note, I also just saw this online on a site I frequent and thought it was nice enough to share. (I'm not a religious person though but you can transfer the God part to whatever it is you may believe in).


HANDBOOK 2010

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present
moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present
happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and
fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Do you

have clients that you find yourself dreading to work with?

That just the mere mention of their name is like fingernails on a chalkboard?

Do they do stuff that makes you want to do anything but help them?

And you don't buy into the fact that it has anything to do with their disability, but it's just "them" and they are just a rotten kind of person?

Are they always stalking you with phone calls to call them back as soon as possible because it's really important? (But it's really kind of just, well, nonsense?!).

Ugh. I have a few of these.

I am so glad I am off too for the next few days! I need to re-group so I can continue to effectively go on and work with my people like this.

Batten down the hatches

another major hurricane is predicted in my area this weekend. Everyone here is all on edge. I know many of my neighbors were affected earlier this year when large trees fell and destroyed things on their properties such as fences, roofs and cars during an unexpected "hurricane".

My neighbor is a wreck that a tree is going to fall on his house.......thank you TownofB where we live for cutting down the WRONG tree on his property ;).

Our basement has flooded numerous times this year during bad weather...........I don't know if I can take it again (although I am sure there is much, much worse we could face).

Please everyone think good thoughts that this weather takes a major turn and heads straight out to sea.