I wanted to touch on maybe my biggest challenge with my condition in this blog, and that\u2019s that no matter how much you want to try new things, jump into the deep end, or give anything a go, there is often some careful planning that needs to happen before you can simply embrace some of those situations. This can feel limiting, frustrating and sometimes like it takes all fun or spontaneity out of adventures, but with some caveats, it can be done, and you can still challenge yourself in trying new things, just safely.<\/p>\n
One of the things I love about where I work is that there are so many departments and different opportunities to try new jobs and tasks. I have recently been given the opportunity to work for three weeks in a food preparation department, something I have never done before, and it is very different from working in the pharmacy or hearing aid centre. I was so excited to have the opportunity to try something I had never done before and to get certifications and training I could utilize, but unlike many of my colleagues, I couldn\u2019t just start in the department; preparation was needed. This department involves working in high-heat areas and in refrigerators and coolers, which for me is not a simple thing.<\/p>\n
One major challenge my CMTC presents is my inability to maintain my own core temperature, so unsurprisingly, working in an environment where temperatures change dramatically and fairly frequently has risks and challenges. So, before I could start, I had to buy clothes that I could layer quickly and also could wick sweat but still provide warmth; thank goodness for wool and cotton, as well as plan on how I would warm up or cool down quickly if need be. It helps that I am on the first aid team and was able to request a supply drop outside our work zone so I could utilize warm bags and ice packs if needed quickly. I also purchased specific steel-toed shoes that could have layers inside of them, and heat packs that I can use on my chest and right arm to warm myself up while in a cooler area. Overall, I am very prepared.<\/p>\n
However, that does touch on the mental health aspect of this; I am unbelievably lucky that I have supervisors and managers who are understanding and willing to help with preparations. They also were willing to rearrange schedules to give me time to prepare and have been super understanding and encouraging about making this work, but no pressure if it doesn\u2019t. However, if I didn\u2019t have that support structure, this would be infinitely more stressful. There is also some frustration that comes from the need to adjust your whole life around your condition just to try something new. Unfortunately, this is just part of having a complex vascular condition, but it can feel limiting and exhausting at times. With perseverance, though, you can find ways to try new things, even if you have to adapt yourself and the situation more than your colleagues will need to; the options are still there if you are willing to pursue them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I wanted to touch on maybe my biggest challenge with my condition in this blog, and that\u2019s that no matter how much you want to try new things, jump into the deep end, or give anything a go, there is often some careful planning that needs to happen before you can simply embrace some of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":77444,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[486],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-katie-allen-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n