back to work report

On Monday, May 4, 2009, I returned to work as the public art manager at the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville! It have been on leave for six months. I have been with the Cultural Council for a bit over two years.




THANK YOUs

My coworkers at the Cultural Council are amazing. Since beginning leave, they have done everything they can to make my return to work possible, pleasant, and smooth. They have worked so hard to cover my responsibilities and to keep me headed in a positive direction. Bob, Amy, Betty, Sandy, Martha, Susan, Amy P, and Gerri - you are the best!!



(Pictured left to right: Susan, Amy, Bob, Martha)


I also wanted to mention a special "coworker" who made my world a better place - Sandy 2 (I have never actually worked with her, she covered my responsibilities when I was gone. Sandy 2 has been a fabulous "seat warmer", program manager, and friend over the past few months.) "Seat warmer" was her term, not mine.



Pictured: Sandy 2


The other half of Sandy 2 is Sandy 1 - our master chief. Sandy covered my immediate responsibilities when I first applied for medical leave. In various ways, Sandy has been with the public art program since the beginning and is the half of my brain that I have forgotten. Thank you Master Chief! Sir! Mam'!



Pictured: Sandy 1


A huge THANK YOU to my colleagues at the City of Jacksonville. Although I was on unpaid leave, I was eligible for the "Critical Leave" program that converts COJ employee's leave donations into a paycheck for me. To the many COJ employees that donated to my leave bank, "Thank you for your generosity. I am so very thankful for your kindness and support. Thank you a million times."




SO HOW DID IT GO??

It was Grrrrrrrrr...GREAT! I could not imagine changing anything about last week. I don't move at the same pace, but I did what I could - turns out that meant 9am-5pm each day!! Not a bad start at all. By eating well, going to bed early, and by learning to manage my pace, I did quite well.



Pictured: Marilyn and I at Knitwitz.

Last, but certainly not least, I wanted to thank my parents. My return to work would not have been possible without my parents. They are the best-est nurses I could have ever had. It has been a long road, but my mother and father have always been there for me. Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you!



Pictured: My parents at Jax Beach, FL.