My name is Anthony and I am 39 years of age. I have two kids one is 10 and one is 4, a boy and a girl. I am married to a wonderful nurse. I am also a professional photographer who runs my own little studio in our little town in the north of England. So you can see, I am a little bit of a busy man.
Last year I started going back to University to train as a Nurse. Yes. I am nuts. (but I love being nuts lol). I thought It’s gonna be manageable and It will be alright but as always what you think does not always happen in real life. There are many things that needed to be considered. There are family issues like spending time with your kids, etc.
There are financial issues. When you have a young family and the expenses grow high, and only one income comes in the bank, It is hard. Balancing everything to make the life easy is a challenge.
As a father of the two lovely kids are just the best thing in the world. I would love to spend time with them all the time and have the resources to afford their needs. But the demand of training and the demand of family life is always hard to balance. There are times that I thought, I made the right decision in pursuing my dream for this kids. There are times I am in doubt, thinking I should be spending my time with them while they are young. I realised that sometimes you have to sacrifice something for better future. Making a difference for others and for your family is the best ever thing we could do in life.
But I always wanted to make a difference. Now that my kids are growing up, I would love them to see that their parents’ job are one of the best jobs in the world. I would like to think that helping others are best thing they could ever do in life.
My wife is a nurse too and all my inspiration comes from her. She is one of the best nurses out there. She would put her patients above all things. Her resilience and her dedication is admirable. But being a dad and a husband is being pushed aside a little bit. It is always a bonus when you have an understanding partner who understand that we are doing this for the future of our family and the kids.
But on top of all of this is having to have some money that will help the family in our expenses. Earning money while your studying full time is hard. That means, you will have no time for your self to rest. This is when you realise, word rest is actually overrated. I love being a photographer, and this is what I am passionate about. I come to do my weddings and actually enjoy the time I spent with my clients. I suppose this balance out everything that’s going on in my life. I come to the studio to have a ‘me time’ is amazing. I guess it is nice to have a place your own and you just kind of retreat there for few hours to rejuvenate and recharge your battery to make you going for the next day. A lot of people ask, how do I do it.
I guess when you set your mind to achieve something, you will make it happen no matter what. It is not about finding it difficult but looking ways to make things easy. It’s about maximising resources, management of your time and asking people’s help. I have encountered so many challenges in this journey from finances to schedule management, from child care to passing assignments in deadlines but up to now I’ve managed to survive. Thanks to my wife, and my friends who are always there to help. I could not do this without all my friends’ help.
I am approaching the end of my first year training. It has been a great journey. I met some great people with in the hospitals. I have met some hard working people that I must admit inspired to do the best I can to somehow be like them in the near future. I have met some people who I thought are in the wrong job and gives that thinking that, I will not be like them when I step into their shoes. I thank all my mentors. I have learned so much in the pass year my head is battered in bits and pieces.
I thank all the HCAs and support workers I have worked with. I love you all. Making me feel welcome and part of the team is a memory to cherish. A finally, I thank all the patients whom I have in contact with while I am on my first year training. I spent time when you have pains, when having trouble having a pee, when you finding it difficult to walk, when you don’t have anybody to talk to, when you’re bored and when your tele does not work. I spent time with you when you need to clean your bedpan or when you want to go commode. I spent time with you when giving your tablets and changing your beds. I spent time with you when you’re crying and frustrated, I spent time handing your food in meal time. I feed you when you find it hard to do it your own. I spent time with you when you just want to hold my hand. I spent time with you when you just want to have a laugh.
I tell you what, it’s never easy but I thank you so much because in those moments, I became a better person for the rest of my life.
“My year one is coming to an end but its opening a new one. I am sure those time I spent with you all will help me to the next chapter of the upcoming journey. I will always cherish the time spent to you all. Thank you.”
