I would like to start this blog by saying a massive thank you to every single one of you that supports me through my page. To all of you that likes, shares, comments and follows me on my journey as a mum and someone that faces challenges like supporting my hubby with cancer, looking for a job and bringing up four children all with their own personalities and sometimes on my own.
As I have reached over 100 likes on my page, I thought it would be good to mention/blog about who I am and what my blog is really all about for all the new likers. As for many of my new likers, you may believe that this blog is just about cancer however it is about so much more.
My name is Charlotte and I am married to Roger, we have four beautiful children that all carry their own challenges. Keeley is 16yr, Cameron is 14yr, Kai is 13yr and Rylee is 8yr. This gives me three teenage children in secondary school and one in primary school, when I think about it this way it makes me feel old 
☹ I don’t work but am desperate to be able to change this, to the point I started to get quite depressed over it at times. This being one of the reasons my blog and page started, I could write about how I was feeling and what I was doing to try and reach out to others, and to hopefully stop me from taking my frustration out on my hubby for me not being able to work.
I’m someone that has always worked within health and social care, and has recently gained a BA (HONS) Degree in Social Care. However trying to put this degree in to use within a job is easier said then done, as I don’t have the experience in some of the jobs that I am applying for. I have always found this hard to understand, how are you ever going to get the experience in a job if no one will ever give you a chance. This job hunting is not made any easier by the fact that my hubby works away a lot of the time and I have no family living near by that could help me out with the children.
I have had a few interviews, but unfortunately I have not been able to attend them all. I was far from amused when I was about to walk out the door for an interview and had a phone call from my daughters school to go pick her up as she was unwell. No sooner had I walked back through the door I had another call from the school to go pick up Cameron as he was also unwell. I was fuming that the one day I needed my hubby home he had to be working away, no it was not his fault but that was the last thing I was thinking at the time. What made things a thousand times worse was that the employer never returned my message to reschedule a date. This was not the first time this has happened to me over an interview, and as per usual my hubby got it in the neck…. Well they do say that you take things out on the one closest to you.
I have been trying to find a job for well over a year, I have had so many ups and downs and completed so many application forms. It has come clear that I hate job hunting and am loosing faith in myself that I will ever get a job. I have come to the point that I am looking into volunteering again to try and prevent my brain from going to mush!!! On top of looking for a job, I am a mum, which brings so many challenges it’s a full on job, especially when hubby works away during the week. I have 4 children between two schools, I have two boys that do football and a 16 year old daughter which is a full on job within itself. !!!!!! One of my little darlings struggle with social surroundings and anxiety and my 13yr old gives me daily challenges with trying to get him out the house for school and to complete the dreaded h/w.
On the 9th of August this year I got faced with more challenges and that was the possibility of my husband having bowel cancer, It was confirmed on the 31st August. Little was I aware the massive impact this was going to have on us as a family. Cancer does not just impact the individual with the diagnosis, in my hubby’s case it has impacted me and the children, and the impact can be more intense some days more so then others.
I decided to blog about my challenges to not only try and help myself, but to try and reach out to others. It took me some time, but I realised that I was probably not the only mum going through challenges daily bringing up kids and look for a job. I would love to be able to reach out and help at least one other mum or even a dad or loved one that are in the same position as me. If I can help at least one individual that is experiencing cancer then I would be chuffed, as I have come to realise that support for cancer suffers and their families is hard to come by.
#mumblog #fightingcancer #bowelcancer #4littledarlings#supportingwife #jobhunting #emotionalrollorcoaster
