Settling into the system

Progress - I GOT A JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never in a million years thought I would get it but it is an admin post at a local educational establishment with a high reputation. I somehow managed to get a first interview and although was terrified I resigned myself to the fact that it would be useful interview experience.  It is a much lower level job in terms of responsibility from what I had in this department before but I decided it was probably better to start again.  Two days after the interview I had a phone call from them when I was in an appointment with Mind and they offered me the job!  Well I have to say I was in tears when I put the phone down - after six months applying I managed to blag it and get the opportunity.  I go in  tomorrow to meet the team and start at the beginning of November.

Of course, while the environment seems really friendly and more casual than I have worked in before, I am still nervous that I won't be up to it.  I am also worried that when I return my medical questionnaire that they will then know my mental health issues and regret their decision.  I voiced my concerns with my (lovely) GP and he reassured me that because they have offered me the job, they would have to have damn good reasons for withdrawing the offer based on my medical questionnaire because of the discrimination laws.  They seem quite a forward thinking department though.  So we'll see.

In the meantime I have signed up for an ECDL computer course which I have been whizzing through and it will help refresh my computer knowledge ready for my job.

As for Lovely GP, he has referred me to the mental health team and I meet my CPN next week to start sorting out a care/crisis plan, which was a quicker appointment than I thought I would get.  Lovely GP will also see me next week to check up on how I am.  Because my GP in Hastings took me off the contraceptive pill I have been really worrying about getting pregnant (not that I have had any form of relationship since returning to the UK) but Dr H went through different options with me and am now on the mini-pill but I am thinking of changing to an implant.  Of course, he says it would be very difficult to find someone to sterilise me although he agrees that this clearly impacts on my mental health.  Sorry to all you male readers of my blog, just something I had to get off my chest.

At the end of last week I went to visit my friend from Switzerland who has a house near her parents in Doncast...sorry....Doncatraz.  I stayed a couple of nights and we had a lot of fun, chatted until the early hours, went window shopping and all in all it was lovely.  I miss her because she is so practical and great for advice.

I am hoping that the recent turn of events means that I will start to have a run of good luck and am feeling more positive than I have in a long time and my mood seems to be stabilising.  I have been having a lot of off days and a lot of hypo days and some hyper days (although this has meant I have raced through DIY projects and cleaning at my mums (where I am still living).  I have also been helping my sister out as she manages a fair trade shop so I have been checking stock, pricing and cleaning as she is permanently short staffed.