good things happen, unexpectedly

July 7, 2010

Two weeks ago, I tendered my resignation. I just couldn’t handle the time anymore, and my mind was preoccupied with how to go about with mom’s sickness and dad’s lifetime medications.

I was still on probation, and I was just with the company for barely two months. I am not even a doctor, so nothing about me was indispensable to the company. I thought of it for several days, and one Wednesday, I wrote a long letter asking for deferment of employment because I wanted to somehow stay with my sick mother at home until she finishes her chemotherapy, and to somehow let my father rest from time to time. I said that if it’s no longer possible, the same letter is tendering my resignation.

To my surprise, the bosses in the States immediately answered my letter. They said that they would arrange the schedule to accomodate the off time I need (work on a temporary part-time basis) or they could grant me a medical leave. I was so happy to read the letter! I chose the first option, to work on MWFs. It was a burden off my chest; at least, I would still have a stable income. The social security benefits and other leaves and holiday pays were still there, in proportion to my working hours. Isn’t that great? In my old company, I filed leave to be with mom through the first weeks of her treatment. Because one of the operations was postponed, I was absent the day after my filed leave. In that operation, we would know if the cancer has spread to other parts of her body. And while she was in the operating room, my old boss sent me a text message telling me that I am considered resigned because I was absent after my leave. Wow. That was the first day after my leave and resigned already? Well, in the end, I only filed a leave extension. But his inconsideration would be unforgettable.

Anyway, because of their surprising, positive response, I felt that, amidst all the problems, good things still do happen, sometimes unexpectedly.

looking back and coping

After 2 months, I can say that I have “somehow” adjusted to my new work. Though I sometimes miss copy editing those APA files that require much attention and time, and thinking! Editing has become second nature to me, and honestly, I am grateful that I learned that from my old company. It’s a good and usefull skill to acquire. On the other hand, my new work entails medical writing, and obviously, I could not really master this one. But through time and the help of other officemates, I am able to manage to accomplish the task I was assigned, though at times with difficulty.

In these 2 months, I’ve shared a few talks with my new officemates, and I could probably differentiate the attitude of one from the other. Since this small group of employees were together since the start of the company, they were already like family, except for one loner, although with varying behaviors. At this point, I probably could say that all of them were nice people. But, at this point, I couldn’t see anyone that I could be as compatible as I had been to my old officemates, friends, particularly the seatmates I had through my entire stay in that company in Paranaque. We just hit it off. And the stressful environment, and the issues around, were neutralized by the laughter we bring to one another, mostly from silly jokes. In this new office, as majority were doctors, they sometimes laugh at details pertaining to diseases or to acneticin review, and it would be too late before I realize it was a joke. haha. We also had some good, nonmedical conversations, but not the typical topics we used to talk to back in the old one. I guess all I’m saying is I miss those guys in Paranaque (but not the boss!).

However, and this is the best part, I enjoyed the petiks mode here, which in my 6 years in my previous company, I never did. It feels good! haha.