Goodbyes. . .

I handed my notice in at work a month ago. . and on thursday my 6 and a half years as an enabler came to an end. It had been a difficult last week saying goodbye to the people I have been supporting and trying to work through a successful handover process. There is one lady who I have been supporting twice a week for 5 years and it was very difficult saying goodbye to her. I really hope we can keep in touch.
I have struggled with being an enabler for the past 12 months really. . in January I almost handed my notice in but rallied and gave it another try. I have been feeling a bit frazzled, struggling to keep up my enthusiasm for the job and it feels like the right time to make a move.
Working so closely with my participants has been an amazing experience. . it really has affected me deeply. I have been on a rollercoaster since the beginning. . always learning new things, meeting so many new people. . . there are major moments that stand out. . also sad moments when people have died and hundreds of everyday moments shopping or catching the bus.. . going to appointments and chatting about problems.
I will always be grateful to Jill Vernon who gave me a chance at the interview back in 2006 and who helped me through the difficult first few months. When I started,  I thought that part of my job was to cheer people up!!!! I think I had pretty much the wrong idea about disabled and elderly people and their everyday lives. . . I really have learnt a lot and it really has meant a lot to me.