Impact of Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey was a devastating storm that hit the Texas coast line near Port Aransas and Port O'Connor on Friday August 25, 2017. While we in the Houston area knew we would be on the dirty side, we never expected the impact of what that would mean. I'm sure you have been watching the news or have lived through it, like we did, so I'm not going to rehash all the details. I'll just briefly tell you where we stand.

My Mailbox - Laura Romero

We live on the North-West side of Houston. The water, during the thickest part of Harvey, got within feet of my home. My neighbors were not so lucky. In fact, friends down the street from me kayaked to my home to stay the night after rain water reached knee-high depth in their house and it became impossible to stay. Across the street I see carpet sitting on curbs. I was on the phone with my sister all weekend checking on her and vice versa.

We got stranded in our neighborhood for three days due to high water all around us. My husband did an amazing job of preparing for the hurricane and we had plenty of food and water. Our home never lost power or water services so we just waited it out.

Creeping up my Yard - Laura Romero

My husband works for AT&T. He could return to his garage on Tuesday but they were unable to work because all their service areas were inaccessible. The next day more employees able to return to work and they went out to assess the surrounding areas. Thursday, they tried to get some work done and return services to their customers. Friday is much the same.

It seems that the only thing lost during Hurricane Harvey is my job. It is currently three feet under water. My parent company, JEA Senior Living, could not have been more gracious. They tried place all their Houston employees in their other senior living communities. However, I made the difficult decision that commuting to either Austin or Bryan College Station is not practical for our way of life. Austin is nearly four hours away and Bryan is nearly one and half hours away. That's if I'm lucky with no traffic.

Nearly as High as it Went - Laura Romero

On the bright side, I may be able get unemployment relief through FEMA due to a disaster. Part of my personality is to plan my life out for as long as I can. I had a five-year plan. Hurricane Harvey blew that out of the water and now I'm having to reassess that plan. But I have my home, my family, and my life. So, I think I have very little to complain about.

Till next time friends...

Hello again, Dear Friends!

So sorry for the radio silence, but I GOT A JOB! The last six months have been the most wonderful, and the most challenging, time I have had in quite a while. Not only did I find just the right kind of employment I was looking for, I maintianed my full time status in school as well.

I got a job as an activities assistant at a local home for people with dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. for those who have been following since the beginning, this is similar to the job that I had to resign from a few years back. I was so excited to interview for this job and even more excited to get that phone call with the actual offer. It started off as a part position but transitioned into a full time one when a vacancy suddenly opened up.

I admit I was a little nervous to take on the full time hours. Not only because I hadn't worked full time in so long, but also because I was still a full time student. I am still in the throws of finishing my Bachelor's degree. I am so close to completing it I can smell it! This semester saw many challenges. Some good and some bad (I'll fill you in soon!) This was my last full time semester and I can thankfully get back to what I love - writing -  which is why I went back to school in the first place. That and to finally have that silly piece of paper on my wall.

I just wanted to drop you guys a note to say hello again! I am here to stay and happier and healthier than ever. Look forward to even more updates because I have so much to tell you!

Job Searching After a Stroke

When I had my stroke I was still technically employed as a substitute teacher in the local school district here where I live. I didn't work nor did I go to school to finish my degree for an entire year, but I did keep my certification up. When I did go back to work, I was already fairly well established in a few of the schools I worked in regularly. The employees there were willing to work with me and my new needs in order to accommodate my changed situation.

It was shortly after that I decided I needed a permanent job and secured a position at a local retirement home that catered to persons with dementia and Alzheimer's. I adored this job. I only worked two days a week. I was constantly on my feet those two days though, which meant that I was flat on my back recuperating for about three days when I was off. But I loved the work. Then life got in the way. I suffered a series of seizures and could no longer drive so I had to resign that position. It was heartbreaking.

So here I am, almost exactly three years after leaving my last job and I am contemplating finding a new part time position. Times are tough in the Romero household and I feel duty bound to do something other than blog away and finish my degree and take care of children and old women. Plus a little social interaction wouldn't be so bad every once in a while.

But here's the catch: I need a job that is part-time, light duty, near by and not at night.

Reasons for part-time: For one thing, I'm still a full time student trying to finish my degree. I know me, and I really don't want to take on more than I can chew. With the family, school and a job? I just don't want to push my luck. For another thing, I haven't been able to be super active for the last six years without ending up being in a lot of pain. I think working for a few days a time is the best way to start out. And this lead me to catch number two...

Light duty: Again, I end up being in a lot of pain when I'm on my feet for several hours a day. I can sit and answer phones all day but ask me to run track with your great dane and I'll quit right then and there.

Near by: I went for nearly three years not being able to drive due to seizure activity. I wouldn't say that I'm a nervous driver now, but I'm definitely not a fan of driving anymore. I think that not driving for such long stretches at a time has made me a more cautious driver. Everything kind of feels very fast to me. Plus I don't want to be downtown, have a seizure and then have no way to get home. If I'm near by, I have a better chance of getting home.

Not a night job: I just can't see at night. I had an eye doctor tell me once that it's very common for stroke patients to have night blindness, no matter where the stroke actually occurred. I have terrible halos around all the lights, my depth perception is off and I can't tell which lane the oncoming cars are in. It's terrible.

So the search continues. I have applied to several companies for a variety of positions but so far no bites. I'll keep you updated! Until then I'll keep writing...