I know that everyone is focused on the hurricane. I am not taking it lightly, but for me its overshadowed by sadness. My Aunt passed away today after a brave and courageous battle with cancer. I know many of you can relate since everyone has suffered a loss from some form of cancer.
Little backstory: My Aunt is the eldest of five siblings. My Mom is the youngest. My aunts & uncles lost their parents very young. My Mom was 17 when her mother passed and was 27 when she lost her father. To this day, many of them are still trying to come to terms with their emotions and regrets. My mother was able to see her sister in July. She, and my two aunts (both named Pat!) went to see her and help give support and comfort to the family. The week they went down was the week of my birthday. (Ok here comes the ranting and raving and verbal smackdown)
Originally, I wanted to take off the week of my birthday because my husband wanted to take me away. As many of you know I was employed in an office at the time. I was told I could not take off because someone else in the office was off that week. Umm..k. I was informed by the "office manager/gestapo" that office policy was no two individuals could take off at the same time. Now mind you, the other individual was a medical transcriptionist. The ONLY medical transcriptionist. She did not do my job and I did not do hers. Our mutual absence would not have affected each other or the normal dysfunction...I mean function of the office. My boss was away so there was the addition of downtime. My husband told me that we could go away another time, that I should go & be with my mother and family. Still I was denied. My heart broke knowing my mother and my two Aunts were there and I couldnt be with them. The heartbreak that they were dealing with was compounded by some terrifying events they encountered while they were there. I was so angry when my Mom got home and relayed the stories of her time there. I was incensed that I couldn't be there to comfort or protect her. I am fierce when it comes to my family.
So, fast-forward to the final week of my employment with the dysfunctional...sorry, the office. Wouldn't you know it, two people were off...ON THE SAME WEEK!!! One was a nurse and one was a billing person. Again, each did not affect each other or the dysfunction....damn it...function of the office.
The loss of my Aunt is coupled with the anger that I was denied the time to see her one last time and tell her how much I love her. All because I was not a sheep in the herd the "office manager/gestapo" had created. My next post I will devote to my musings on Dysfunction in the Workplace, well at least the dysfunctional place I was employed.
Aunt Joan, thank you for your kindness to me when I was going thru my divorce. Even though we were many states away from each other, you made me feel that you were only a hug away. Thank you for your love and support you gave John and I when we were reeling from the many losses of our children. I pray for peace and comfort for Uncle Ray, Raymond and Candace. I know now that you are with your Mom and Dad and they have embraced you with open arms...just like you have done for all of us. I love you...until we meet again <3
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