It's days like today that make me wonder if anyone cares about the staff. The VIP's come and shower gifts and wonderful words upon the wounded troops but ignore the staff who care for them. Mangagement will call you into the office and you hear nothing but what is bad and how your staff aren't doing their jobs. When does anyone say "you did a GOOD job"?? When do the VIP's recognize our hearts break along with the families and the amputees whose lives are forever changed? Does anyone give a hoot that many of my collegues have Combat Stress and/or PTSD? Do people understand OUR lives are forever changed with what we see and deal with?
And while I'm on my very "non Clara like" rant let me tell you about this! I've been trying to do a good thing. There are a couple of awesome books on combat stress and PTSD that I've been buying to give out to wounded troops and families who I feel may benefit from them. Well, it gets a little expensive even with the amazon.com discount, not that I'm complaining I'm really happy to do it. So anyway, I called the publisher to see if they would help me, they never called me back. Then I get called on the carpet and had my ass chewed for handing out the books in the first place. Some days make absolutely no sense! Try and do a good thing and look where it gets ya! Yep, days like this make me shake my head in disgust!
This started out as letters home to my friends and family while I was at Hurricane Katrina, and continued through my deployment to Afghanistan. I have recently added my friend Clara Hart as a contributor. Now it very roughly chronicles life as a civilian, and citizen of the USA. If you need some assistance with Workplace Safety Programs, please let me know, I am happy to help.
4 comments:
Hang tough there Clara. You are helping where others can't. You provide a hope and friendly smile to folks facing some of the darkest times in their lives. Just know that as folks move on they carry the thoughts of you and the care you provided with them forever.
Oh Clara, I don't really know the words to say that might comfort you and your coworkers. Anything that comes to mind seems so trite. But your work is invaluable, you are a warrior for the warriors. As an American citizen please let me say Thank You. You and all of your colleagues are doing a extraordinary job. While getting very little support from management. Again Thank You, Thank You
CW says caretakers are there to caretake, I have seen very few instances where admin understands the well needs to be refilled once in awhile or the caretakers can't.
Go to Grim's Hall, a blog where a great piece on PTSD is posted. Print it out and add the names of the books you recommend. An envelope is not conspicuous. When trying to get around territorial or credentialing protective attacks it's best to go around and leave them going off behind you.
Self-motivated people like you know you're doing a good job. You just wish that someone would notice every now and then. It would help on those days when even though you've given everything, the outcome wasn't what you were aiming for. On those days you don't need someone to say "you did your best" because that's like saying your best isn't good enough. You need someone to notice the days when your best really pays off. You know you make a difference, why doesn't anyone recognize it and tell you you do?
I don't know. I only know you aren't the only person who toils in the trenches and watches the rewards go to the clueless morons who call themselves managers.
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