#30YearsRolling – Day 11/30 – Reflections on the 30th Anniversary of my Injury

It felt like an eternity that I was out of action for.

 

18 months was a really long time to be stuck at home so sick.

 

I wasn’t going to dwell on what an awful experience it had been.

 

I was firmly focused on getting back on track as quickly as I could.

 

The first step was letting my former employer know that I was feeling better and ready to come back to work, if and when they wanted me back.

 

I was relieved to be welcomed back and, since my old role had been filled, we had discussions around what role they would like me to fulfil.

 

All of the nerding out in my spare time teaching myself databases and programming had paid off and I was asked to work alongside a new IT graduate to investigate creating a new ERP system for the company.

 

I felt so far out of my depth and kept learning new skills – I taught myself more programming from a book I’d bought on my frequent trips to the book shop.

 

I also squeezed in an Information Technology Certificate by correspondence.

 

I didn’t even read all of the exercises, just went straight to the assignments and did those when I’d almost run out of time to complete the course after procrastinating for over a year!

 

I had a lot of fun in the process though and loved trying to create workarounds with their existing clunky system.

 

The people I worked with were great and work wise things were on track.

 

Before I had gotten sick I’d started looking at moving in with the boyfriend and had found we couldn’t afford it at the time so continued to keep living with our respective parents.

 

It was lucky that it happened that way, as I was very fortunate to have my Mum’s support when I was so ill, I wouldn’t have coped on my own.

 

While I was unable to work I was getting the Disability Pension and took the opportunity to apply for public housing while my income was so low.

 

I was incredibly fortunate to get offered a brand new 2 bedroom duplex only 10 minutes from my parents’ place after only a very short wait which was virtually unheard of.

 

Luck was on my side there.

 

I was able to move in around the same time I went back to work and then just had to pay the market rent once I was no longer on the pension.

 

Thankfully I didn’t need to get much in the way of furniture – I’d won a complete bedroom set and lounge room furniture on radio contests along the way that my parents were cheering to finally get out of their garage!

 

I found out soon after moving in that the small bedsit style homes across the road were used for emergency public housing and there were some pretty undesirable folks who came and went there.

 

I was very grateful that the boyfriend had moved in too and I wasn’t living alone.

 

The neighbours either side were lovely so it wasn’t all bad.

 

The house had no fans or air conditioning and once summer hit I struggled to cope with the extreme heat without any cooling, ending up with heat stroke a couple of times.

 

My love of radio contests got me out of that mess too when I was able to win a split system air conditioner which I had installed in my second bedroom which I used as an office 😊

 

Along with radio contests I also enjoyed a few bets on the horses on the weekends (at one point I had shares in two racehorses with my parents which was a fun, but expensive hobby) and I bought a Lotto, Powerball and $2 Lottery ticket every week.

 

I didn’t spend much and wasn’t one of the people who watched the draws dreaming of what I was going to do with the winnings. I didn’t even bother checking the tickets most of the because I’d registered them and if there was something I needed to know I figured I’d get a letter or a phone call.

 

And one day I did get a phone call.

 

At first when the person on the other end said they were from NSW Lotteries I thought someone was pranking me.

 

She then asked if I was sitting down, I chuckled to myself and didn’t have the heart to tell her that I’m always sitting down!

 

I was then told that I had won first prize in the $2 Lottery drawn that morning. A prize of $100K!

 

I was used to winning stuff but this was next level. I was in a bit of shock when I hung up the phone.

 

I was both bursting to tell someone but also didn’t want anyone to know either. I’m guessing that’s what it feels like for a woman who finds out she’s pregnant after years of trying?!

 

I ended up telling the boyfriend (he always said I was an idiot for buying tickets!), my parents and a close friend.

 

I took those people out for dinner to celebrate, bought a digital camera – they were only just released at the time, and a portable air conditioner for my bedroom.

 

The rest went into a high interest savings account and I went about life as if it hadn’t happened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The song that represents this time for me is “Leaving Home” by Jebediah.

 

Follow hashtag #30YearsRolling on social media to read this series as it is published. You are welcome to comment on and share these posts

 

 

 

Stacey Copas, Author of “How To Be Resilient”, helps shift the way people perceive and respond to uncertainty, change and adversity, helping them to see opportunities where they once saw only obstacles.

The world is rapidly changing, people are having to do more with less, are more stressed and have less balance in their lives.

To be fulfilled and successful in embracing the uncertain and changing world, it is essential to develop resilience to see and act on the opportunities that uncertainty and change present.

Stacey is available to present or coach online/remotely/virtually across all time zones. Book via bookings@staceycopas.com