The Working Life

I haven't written much about my work, so I thought I would spend a little time writing about how work works.

The day I crashed back in September, I was sitting at my desk, working along on my list of things to do for the day. I left before saying too much to anyone other than those in offices close by. I heard from my immediate supervisor later in the evening or first thing next morning. Her position was not to worry about anything and focus on getting better.

When dialysis became a definite thing, the first thing I worried about was how this would play at work. I am fortunate in that I can do my work anywhere there's an internet connection, so I knew I had options. My only worry was how those options would be viewed by my boss and my co-workers.

When I went back to work on the Monday after my crash, everyone was glad to see me. Once I got my dialysis schedule, I thought we settled into a pretty good routine. I told the President of our company that I planned on taking work with me to dialysis, because I wanted to be productive. I asked my supervisor for work that I could do while at dialysis, but I never got any response to that. So, being the self-directed guy that I am, I started looking at my daily work and looking at what I could take with me to dialysis.

I've been working 2-3 hours each dialysis day, generally, ever since. I like it, because it makes the time go by quicker in the chair, and it keeps me up to date on my work. I get an internet connection through my cell phone, and armed with a laptop, I can keep up with my work and when I need to access my desktop at work, I can do that too.

As I said, I think the President of our company is happy with me being able to continue to be productive. I haven't missed any deadlines with my work, and I'm able to help people as I always did. So, while most of my fellow dialysis patients sleep or watch TV, I plow through my work.

Does this mean everything is rosy at work? Optimist that I am, I know that the people who are important to my work are fine with what's happening. In fact, I can only think of one person who has struggled with my new schedule and work habits. I had to remind this person that I would be happy to switch places with them, if they thought I was living a life of ease.

There's no question that my kidney problems have caused a lot of people to make adjustments at work, but I guarantee you that no one on my job has had to make the adjustments that Jeannie and I have had to make in all of this. Between the two fights I've had to take on with my health, I've discovered that people and situations that used to make me nervous or anxious, don't have the same impact on me.

When I feel a little fear rising up inside of me, I quickly review what I've been through, and what I have to look forward to going through, and the fears tend to subside. I'm lucky to work where 99% of my co-workers are supportive and appreciative of my willingness to keep moving forward. Looking at that percentage just now, serves as another reminder to me that one person who swims against the current isn't worth the stress or worry that they try to cause.

How about those of you out there fighting the good fight with your kidney issues? Are some of you able to continue to work? I feel so lucky to work at the kind of job where I'm able to work remotely, and just as lucky to have a company that gives me the ability to do that.

Work gives me a sense of purpose, and once we established a good routine with the dialysis and the other visits to doctors and hospitals, the work gets done like it always did. I"m actually looking to do more, which is very exciting.

So, while I wait for the news that someone is willing to get tested and donate a kidney, I'm going to keep doing my work. As the saying goes, "those that matter don't mind, and those that mind don't matter."

It took a lot to happen before I got my head around this, but life is definitely too short.