Professional HGV Drivers Saved Me!

Hello warriors, how are you?

As most of you know I am a Logistician, I work as a Transport Specialist in my day job and I am VERY passionate about how amazing drivers are and how they are NOT fully appreciated world wide.

They rank 7th in the top ten most dangerous jobs, which most people do not appreciate. For me personally……they saved me from quitting my job in the first 2 years of being chronically ill and they continued to ensure I stayed safe as well as employed……they drove to my rescue!

Yesterday, I went to a site that I have ran a team from for nearly 20 years. Very soon the team there will no longer work for my current customer. So, it was my last site visit…..and to be honest I did not think I was going to get there (due to chronic illness)…..but another stunning professional driver took me there and brought me home (and we implemented a recovery plan for me as I have missed some work due to extra, extra illness in the aftermath of the visit).

It was very emotional saying goodbye……my rib and jaw pain is really severe as I was crying and got snot and tears all over Russ’s high viz vest LOL

As a female manager in charge of hundreds of men….I have always been very careful to not show weakness…..which went out of the window when my chronic illness came in to play. But yesterday, I was crying like a dramatic drag queen hahahaha

I was NOT ok…..I just didn’t want to say goodbye! Especially to my top performing team! They have literally been the top performing site for 20yrs…..100% on time performance….I think they managed that for 3 years in a row once and it was only Mother Nature that screwed it up! In peak period, without them we would NOT have been able to service the stores (due to the national driver shortage and the type of work we do).

This team is in Rotherham and I am in Stoke…but I could call them at ANY time and they would answer their phones. If I needed help at my home at 0200 on a Saturday, I know the guys would have set off to rescue me. I in turn would do anything I could to help them.

Whenever I decline, the team put protection around me and make sure the customer gets anything they need. If I could have paid them £100 per hour, it would not have been their worth!

Professional drivers MUST moan…..a LOT….its tradition. But, behind the moaning….they are just stunning and its been an honour to work with such great people for such a length of time.

Guys, if you are reading this……thank you so much for everything you have done. I am so sorry about what’s happening. I truly wish you all the best……and a massive thank you for all the ‘above and beyond’ things as well…..so I have been able to stay in work as I have declined.

P.S Thanks for linking arms with me so I didn’t end up on the floor when I was there.

P.P.S Thank you for always telling me when I was talking sh#t, when my ideas were rubbish, for fixing everything I asked for…..…..and for always making me smile!

P.P.P.S Russ and Dave…..you had better subscribe and make sure you link on Facebook please!!!! Rhonda, please make sure they do this! They are NOT getting rid of me that easily!

---

Achievement of the week:

I managed to travel 146 miles to Hellaby (Rotherham), this is my MASSIVE achievement….admittedly….all I did was lay in the passenger seat (I wasn’t even sat as I didn’t feel well from being on site the day before). And then I laid in the passenger seat on the way back and sniffled a lot whilst Dan drove…..

And I failed to get to work the next day until about 12:00 as I could not (literally) sit up in bed due to fatigue…..BUT:

It was 100% worth being extra ill, to be able to see the team and say goodbye…..

---

What has made me happy this week:

Now, this is how I like to come across in my day job:

And this:

But behind the scenes its like this:

Make sure the team have access for warm food, drinks…..are safe…..are their children safe….are their partners safe…..is everyone ok? Is their dog ok, is their football team ok…..that one driver that has a budgie that died….is he OK???!!!!! And so, on….LOL

So, hugging people that I have not even touched in 20 years AND crying whilst hugging…..well its a whole new experience…..

OK, there are no funny images to use for this…and although it is sad….it does make me chuckle at how much snot there was! And lads looking at the celling…so they don’t cry!

I am SO PROUD of the team we were……I do not think there are many people who can say they truly LOVE their job and really get on with the people they work with…..but I could say that and so could the team in Hellaby…..even though I am sad……I am so happy I got to be a part of the team!

And, I think I realised…….I have friends for life…..I never knew that. How can I not be happy at this?!

I will still be checking Russ has got his mam and dad good Christmas presents…..in June when I start work on mine LOL

This is Russ’s response:

---

Books I have read:

None….but I am determined to leave this in as I love to read…..so I will defo be using this bit and I am hoping we can share ideas of good books in the chat section in the future….so its staying! LOL

---

Arthritic update:

Hmmm…..doing this weekly newsletter is tough. Normally I do not share things when I am struggling. But, the whole point of this is to build a community and share the reality of living with chronic illness in a positive manner…..with the ups do come downs…….I still feel that I am positive but am trying to be honest about the challenges.

I had no idea how much I actually cry until I started YouTube! It makes sense with being in pain 24/7, I get it…..soooo my update it….I am not able to regain myself from the weeks where I did excessive hours due to day job increases. Normally this time of year is my best and I am no where near as I normally would be.

Add on the crying as people are being soooo nice to me….it has made me worse LOL

This morning, I was not able to move my body…….I was stuck on my side and the one facing away from my meds. After about 4hrs I managed to turn over and take more meds. Then about an hour later I was well enough to let the team know I am not good. I didn’t start my day job until about 12:00 and I only did 2hrs. We knew this would happen as I was on site one day and then went to Hellaby……so we did plan for this.

The main thing I have to remember is why I have declined…..and that it WILL get better as there is a reason for the decline…..too many hours for too long…..and an extra decline now due to site visits…..so it WILL get better.

---

What I am looking forward to:

Look!!!!!

That fence went up TODAY!!! Now things are happening, ready for me to move out of my home:

I am really looking forward to being able to tick things off my action plan!

And……I am looking forward to when it rains as the pond I take Ollie to is struggling…the wildlife is really being impacted:

I lost my sense of smell after I have COVID in July 2022….its not come back….but I am 99% sure this mud does NOT smell good hahahaha

---

This weeks vlog:

Take care

Charlie and Ollie