Skip to main content

Managing Work and Life

 Work and Life: A Sweet Balance:

       I'm sooo excited to say I finally am back on the schedule at work. After all my hospitalizations in October and Gastrointestinal issues in November and December, I finally starting getting everything back to "normal- non-sick life." I started to feel better around Christmas and was all set that I was going to go back the first week of January, but my lung function was still down and I had to go on another round of antibiotics ( luckily, oral and NOT IVs this time). I finally finished my antibiotics and my lung function is back in the mid 50s. I'm still not happy with where it is at, considering I was at 64% in October, but I'm going to keep working at it. However, I'm done with meds, feeling quite a lot better, and I'm so excited to go back to work. I feel very fortunate. Fortunate that :
       1.) During the last 2 months while dealing with GI issues that I didn't have to worry about working, getting lung function back, gaining weight, and my stomach problems all at the same time. Let's just say that if I'm working a 6-8 hour shift and I'm the only employee working the last 4 hours, it means no bathroom breaks, and with GI problems that was not gonna work. So thankfully, Andrew was okay with me taking time off to focus on my health and get back on track. Which did help a lot and now I'm in such a better place health wise!
       2.) Where I work they were okay with me taking time off to get better and still kept me in the loop about employee fun nights etc, even on leave they treated me like a team member.
       3.) They are willing to change my hours, so that I no longer close the store. Don't get me wrong I loved being closer, a lot of our "regulars" come in later at night and I enjoy chatting about movies to them. However, closing at 12am, means leaving at 12:30, runs end of night store/ closer errands, etc, and by the time I get home its after 1am. So night meds and sleep schedule are messed up. Which messes up morning meds, etc. Plus, I have to do an electronic journal at night for the clinical trial, so I need to be home before 11:55pm to submitt that data. Luckily, that are more than willing to change my scheduling to make it easier for me to work!

      I really have missed working for the video store. I loved working at the one Princeton and I love for this one here. I have always wanted to work for a video store. I'm a huge movie buff, but I never thought it would be a long term job. Just a year or two to pay my way through Grad School. However, I love it so much I could see myself staying here (at least part time, while doing my real estate) for quite a few years.
      I mean there are quite a few perks, besides the simple fact I enjoy it. I love competing for the high est sales and commission rates (which I was in top % every week). Being in the top = free unlimited rentals. So of course that is amazing, it saves Andrew and I quite a bit of money (on our movie hobby). It does involve a lot of running around (cleaning, putting stuff away, etc). I mean at the store in Chicago we have people line up on Tuesday morning for the new releases. And we can have over 100 movies returned per hour. So the dropbox is non-stop. It is a non-stop work pace and I don't get breaks, but at least there are no heavy lifting.
      As a server I had to carry heavy trays constantly. Which caused my hernia to get so bad I had to have surgery to fix them this summer. My asthma (type) attacks have gotten worse in the last few years, so carrying stuff for me has gotten really tough. I have lots of energy and can run around doing all the tasks the store asks of me, but it doesn't jeopardize my health at all. So thankful I found this job. After being a Dishwasher (age 16), Babysitter (age 14-present), Nanny (age 24-26), DayCare Teacher, AfterSchool Teacher, Part Time paid Actor (at U of  I), Website Designer & Administrator, Server, Host, Cashier at Dept. Store, now I'm working in a movie store! When I was serving at 2 restaurants and working part time at the video store it was way too much. I loved making the extra money, but my lung function seems to decline if I get working too much. So for now... Just back to the 1 job. I'll work at the video store and in my free time I'm still working on my health and working on real estate.  So excited! It's all about finding a job that suits you. The hours, the physical demand, the amount of energy, etc. Take it all into account. This just seems a good fit for me for now!

Now to enjoy our Cilantro Chicken Dinner and some "Monster's University" (which I bought for $5), and this is how we enjoy our Saturday nights!

Bahahaha with my next nebulizer all set up on the coffee table waiting for me when dinner is over! I seem to always have one lying around. That's what happens when I do 9 nebulizer treatments a day, exactly why finding a job that understands is sooo important!!!




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Huge decisions, big impact

I wasn't sure if I wanted to discuss this or should write this post. I had to make a really tough decision this week. I have been struggling with it for months. I finally decided to bite the bullet and do what I needed to... I decided to share because there are probably many others in the same or similar situation. Well, here it is: I took a giant step back in my career.<insert gasp> That's right. I, Cheriz Kunkel, houses fanatic, architecture loving, Realtor, has taken a step away from her Real Estate Career. Let that sink in. NOTE: If you are looking to buy or sell- STILL CONTACT ME. I still make commission on referrals!!!! Plus, I worked with some AMAZING realtors that are friends. So please still reach out!!! Realtor of Year: 2017 I have been a Realtor for 5 years now and I have LOVED being in this industry. Helping people buy & sell, nothing gives me a greater joy than having a 1st time home owner excited to purchase their own HOME! I had always wanted to do R...
2 comments
Read more

Holding Down the Fort

My husband, Andrew, is currently at Wartburg Theological Seminary and is starting his first week of his second year there. Every year he lives on campus for one week. He enjoys starting each semester on campus where he can build friendships with other students and professors. It's the only time he is on campus. Usually he does long-distance learning, online, from home. It was the only way we could manage him doing a four year Master degree program while working. This week is the hardest for us. However, we have something on Thursday and Friday this week, so Andrew will only be gone 3 days instead of the typical full five. So that will make this week a bit easier than the other semesters. It's hard for Andrew to be away, although I know he is having a blast. We send random pictures back and forth like a book he may be reading or a game I may be playing with our kiddo. It is hard for the kid(s) to not see Andrew every day. We are foster parents and stability is a BIG issue for ...
2 comments
Read more

Sunny Days!

Since my last Cystic Fibrosis clinic, which you may have read about on my Facebook page , I have been working on a couple goals... both medical and personal. And boy do I love this summer weather! Summer weather combines one medical and one personal goal!! EXERCISE + MORE FAMILY TIME! I'm not one to enjoy extreme heat (90+), but have really LOVED the nice days outside with the family this summer! Sun (+sunblock LOL), freezie pops, flip flops, YES PLEASE! We have even spent some time at the lake this summer! Our kiddo(s) LOVE(S) the water and so does Andrew! I don't enjoy being IN the water as much as I like being ON the water. We have spent a dozen days this summer at our two favorite park/splashpads as well! Even days spent at home are usually in the kiddie pool. We are enjoying this weather and getting some exercise too! WALK! I try to talk advantage and do some walking when its nice out and I feel good. My Physical Therapist at clinic said it needs to be 15 mins of full acti...
2 comments
Read more