Back to Work

During the summer of 2006 I told my Boss in Medical Records that someday, after I had started my family, I would be willing to come into work to help out when they were shorthanded, but I would not be willing to work more than one day per week. I was sure that it would be no more than a year, maybe even only 10 months, before I would stop working in an office full time and start taking care of a sweet baby full time. Well I was wrong about the timing of the baby, it was a full year before I became pregnant and so it wasn’t until spring of 2008 that I started my new career as Mom and my new position as a PRN or “As Needed” Medical Records employee.

I was getting a little scared that maybe the office had figured out that they didn’t need me because the baby was 4 months old and I had never been called into work. But it finally happened. At the end of last week they called saying they needed me and yesterday, Tuesday July 22nd, I went to work. I thought it would be hard, I wasn’t sure I was going to have the energy to do it, as the baby was waking up every few hours at night. But Ken, WONDERFUL KEN, took care of the baby on Monday night and let me sleep as much as possible before my first day back at work.

So Tuesday morning came around, Ken had not had a good night, but I had slept well enough that I was actually fully rested when the alarm went off at 5:25 AM! Last week when the Office Manager called to schedule me I told her that I would try to be there as early as I could but that I had no idea what time that would be. I was covering for a coworker who works from 7-3:30 and so I wanted to be there as close to her normal start time as I could. I was ready to go by 6:20, I had a bag packed for the baby complete with 3 changes of clothes, enough food for a few days and as many toys as I could put into a shopping bag. The baby woke up at about 6:30, he had his breakfast bottle and we were off to Grandma Turners house.

I wasn’t sure how it was all going to work, would the baby be confused, would he cry, would I cry? Well it all went spectacularly. At Grandmas house I was trying to explain the suitcase full of items I had brought for the baby and the baby was trying to win over grandma by smiling and cooing. The baby won. I gave him a kiss and told him goodbye and left for work, I missed my baby but I didn’t cry. I got to the hospital at 7:45, not to shabby for a first time working mom. I called once from work and the baby was doing fine, how could he not be fine, he was in the care of a Mother with decades of experience. I am also pretty sure that some Grandma Magic was involved, that theory will be explained later in the week.

At work I did many of the things I love, I sat at the front desk and greeted the Physicians and found the charts they needed to complete. I was able to do some “Super Sleuthing”, as I call it, and locate a couple of hard to find charts. And best of all I was able to show my coworkers and friends lots and lots of pictures of my sweet baby. I had a very good day, it didn’t take to long before I felt like I was right back in the swing of things, but the best part of the day was picking up Ken from his work and then picking up our sweet and well-rested baby! (Like I said, there was Grandma Magic).

Do I want to work outside my home full time? No. Will I enjoy working up to 4 days per month? I think so. Do I enjoy working full time for my Baby? Yes, he is an amazing Boss and I get wonderful benefits.

So what did I learn? I am grateful for the blessing of not needing to work, because I know plenty of wonderful mothers who need to work to keep food on their tables, but would much rather be at home. I am also grateful for the blessing of being able to keep my foot in the door at work so that if the storms of life arise and I need to return to work full or part time it will be a little easier to do. Most of all I am grateful for my amazing and supportive family.