Next Challenge? Bring it on!

22 Mar 2013 2 Comments

by Carole Gardiner in Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Now that I’ve done the Return to Nurse practice course and got the job in the bag it’s time to get on with the next challenge, operation ‘Get Hasan to the UK’.

I fear my quest to bring my hubby to live with me could be a bigger job than getting back to work. There seems to be so much red tape and hoops to jump through to prove that we are a proper married couple.

My first task is to nurse my bank account back to health, after 7 years of starvation it desperately needs to put on some weight. Then I need to get all the paperwork and evidence together up together to satisfy the UK Border Agency that we didn’t just marry so that Hasan could get a visa and that we can live without relying on benefits.

The key to a good application is the letter of invitation and support from me. So I have done a fair bit of research into writing an effective letter, but if anyone out there has any advice for me it would be greatly appreciated.

I think it’ll probably take at least 2 to 3 months to build up a decent bank balance, then we can submit his application. I just hope the process won’t be too long winded and expensive.

I just want Hasan with me here, at the moment I feel like I’m having a holiday romance with my husband.

united nations

Back where I belong

14 Mar 2013 2 Comments

by Carole Gardiner in Uncategorized Tags: , , , , ,

At long last my nursing registration has been renewed. I checked the Nursing and Midwifery Council, (NMC), register online today and saw the magic words and PIN number on screen.

I am so ecstatic about the news because now I am officially a ‘proper nurse’ again. For the last month I have been working at a band lower than I should be as a registered nurse on my unit and now I can be changed to the higher band, where I belong. It has been a very frustrating time because as a non registered nurse I couldn’t give any medicines at work and therefore couldn’t be completely responsible for all my patients’ care. On the unit drug therapy is a massive part of the nursing care and I’ve had to ask my colleagues to do this for me.  I found this very annoying as I’m a very experienced nurse in this specialty, I worked on this unit for 15 years before my illness.

I’m so proud of myself for getting to this point in my life, this time 2 years ago I was in a completely different place; despondent, desperate and doubting whether I had a future in work at all. It’s been a hard slog but it’s definitely been worth the mammoth effort.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my friends and family for all their fantastic support over the last year, especially to my mum for letting me invade her home and to my husband Hasan for coping without me and for all the love, support and encourage he gives everyday from Turkey.

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Happy Mother’s Day

10 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by Carole Gardiner in Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , ,

Today it’s Mother’s Day and may I take this opportunity to wish all mothers a very happy day.

Mothering Sunday is always held on the fourth Sunday of lent, exactly 3 weeks from Easter. Traditionally people visited the church where they were baptised, their mother church. It was also a time when workers ‘in service’ would go home and visit their mothers.

Nowadays it is a day to honour our mums and shower them with cards, gifts, flowers and love.

Unfortunately I’m working all day so won’t see much of my lads or my mum.

On Friday night my brownie and rainbow units held a tea party for their mums, they made flowers, cards and tea for them to celebrate their special day. They did so well and were fantastic hostesses and their mums loved it.

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