I have been remembering with fondness some of the many adventures I've had over the last 17 years. Some of the memories are however a little less fond than others.
When people find out what we do they often say a couple of things. The most common is "I don't know how you do that job", or "I couldn't do that", or other variations on that theme. Most of the sentiments being that you have to be a bit special to do it. No, actually what we are on the whole is a little bit bonkers! The other question is often about how you got into the job? This got me to thinking about my first day.....
I was doing some work for a well known nursing agency of the time, and was asked to go for a week at a day service for people with learning disabilities. It wasn't very far from home, which was a bonus, and I was told it was no uniform. Monday morning came and I had a 9am start, and just up the road, meaning I didn't have to leave the house till about 08:40 (I like to be early). This made a pleasant change from leaving the house just after 6am, for 7am starts!
I arrive bright and early, to be met by the manager, assigned my team for the day and be given my personal alarm. A personal alarm..... this should have rung alarm bells, if you'll pardon the pun? Anyway we got things ready for the day and soon after the folks started to arrive.
"Can you just help get Lizzie in?" No problem with that I thought, maybe she's unsteady on her feet? I head out to the minibus, just as Lizzies feet have touched the pavement, and within 30 seconds she started to take her clothes off. What the...... OK, let's move fast and get her out of the street! I got her safely inside still with some clothing and breathed a sigh of relief, phew, if that's the worst that happens today I'll be grand! Then she bit me! It's going to be a long day!
Later that morning I was with the group, 3 staff and 3 clients in a relaxation session. One gentleman got so relaxed he took all his clothes off, then decided it was time to leave, my cue. I tried to explain that he'd have to get dressed before he could leave, but he was having none of it. So there I am standing in front of the door trying to reason with him. "Mark, please just put your clothes on and we'll go". With that Mark picked up his clothes, I'm thinking I've got a result and it's all good. Then he dumps them all in a pile at my feet and proceeds to pee all over them, and just for good measure he pee's on my feet too! That'll teach me!
The end of the day is nigh, and we're getting everyone ready to go home. The light is finally appearing at the end of the tunnel, and I'm still in one piece. I'm walking through reception to take some bags out to the bus when I feel an almighty wallop across the back of the head. It was Susan, and my crime was.... wearing glasses! The folks are all headed home, and I won't be far behind them, when the Manager calls me in, "How did your first day go?".
"All good thanks, see you in the morning!" And the rest as they say is history!
Incidentally on my second day I was on the receiving end of a pretty significant assault when a client tried to put me through a window, leaving me with very severe bruising over a large part of my body. I was very soon given a permanent job, and 17 years later I'm still coming back for more.
So you see, not really special at all! Just completely bonkers!
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