The next step

I'm sat here this morning and things seems a little surreal, everything about me is exactly the same, looks the same, smells the same, sounds the same but conversely everything's changed completely. I can't feel anything much, I'm just kind of numb.

Yesterday was probably one of the most difficult days of mine and PG lives, so much to consider, so much information to take in in such a short space of time, it felt among all the other issues that we were trying to complete a crash course in employment law inside about four hours but one can only make a decision on the information one has so that information has to be as complete as it possibly can be within the given time restraints.

Coming to a decision within such a short time frame was tough, very tough, it had to be PG's decision ultimately but with the help of the lawyer and bouncing our thoughts off my father the decision was made and duly carried out.

PG I think spent the day in a haze, for those of you who don't know what he did he worked and has always done, with severely mentally and physically disabled adults so aside from all the usual losses he has to deal with, the financial loss, the self esteem issues, the 'belonging' and having an identity he also has to deal with the loss of the clients he has taken care of, some for many years, and they to the loss of him, someone they trusted, because he was good at his job, very good. It's an industry that most don't remain in for very long but he survived all of his working life thus far because he cared about his clients and wanted to make a difference. He was also a great advocate for them and I think if the truth be known, therein lies part of the problem, he would always fight for their rights, their quality of life and he wasn't afraid to go up against the health board or management in an endeavour to attain what he considered was the right care someone....in these days of cutbacks and business management within our health services etc. that is rarely popular and given that this kind of industry leaves it's employees very vulnerable to all kind of accusations they maybe saw a chance to rid themselves of a 'thorn in their sides'. The accusation made against him didn't even involve a client, it involved another member of staff and was so utterly ridiculous that it's hard to believe the situation has ended where it has.....but it has so we have to deal with it and to that end today it's onto the practical issues.

So that's it, today we have to take stock, kill off a few peripheral expenses like Sky Television (ok, that's not a bad thing!), reduce my massive industrial sized broadband connection, take stock of our finances eekkkkkk and begin to make some plans for survival. PG has managed already to find eight positions to apply for so there will be much letter typing, form filling and phone calls to make and it's onward and hopefully upward.....one thing is for sure, I'd rather be sat here right now typing this than taking him to the tribunal he would have attended this morning just to have the system whitewash the whole issue!