Checking In

[tarak]

Hi all. Haven't posted in a long time. I've been able to smoke only a handful of times since last fall due to vocal issues. I was working for a church full time, singing, and it was really impacting my life.
Kinda stopped doing anything I could blame for awhile- pipes, alcohol, all caffeine (including coffee). Got treated for reflex, had speech therapy, saw specialists...all with so-so results.
In the end, I decided to leave my job (I was actually kind of miserable anyway- didn't connect well with my boss).
My family and I moved to a new state 4.5 hours away where I went back to my former career- nursing. I took over as the Clinical Nurse Supervisor for two clinics- family practice and pediatrics. In my new role I'm over all aspects of care and operations of these clinics which see about 150 patients a day, I have 26 staff that report to me, and 16 physicians that don't report to me - but I'm still expected to boss them around. Ha!
My voice issues have waxed and waned- they were doing well but the last couple of weeks has been awful again. However, refraining from the pipe does not seem to help or hurt, so once I get over my current cold I'm hoping to smoke a few again.
I hope you are all well,
Tarak

 

[mrjerke]

Welcome back buddy.

 

[cobguy]

Nice to see you around Tarak ... Congrats on your move and new job!

 

[mso489]

Tarak, you've been through a lot. I love a pipe, but health comes first, always. I think the health professions are the

place to be in our times. I started life well prepared to do journalism and/or teaching in a couple of different subjects,

but ended up using journalism to do writing and editing in health research, which allowed me to continue literary work

on my own time. I'm now retired from the research writing/editing, but continue with my own writing. You've absorbed

many changes in a short period of time, and under the stress of health concerns. Give yourself some room to retreat

and relax when you can. It sounds like the job has a lot of promise, if you can do "self care," as they say in the ministry,

and avoid burn-out. Always remember the patients are people. Give us a shout when you can.

 

[puffy]

Welcome back..I hope all goes well for you.

 

[tuold]

Tarak,
My son is entering an accelerated program where he will graduate in three years with a master's degree in nursing.
So I'm curious as to why you left nursing to sing in a church! Not that people shouldn't follow their "muse", but after all that education I wonder what would entice you leave.
Glad that you are cleared to return to the pipe!

 

[numbersix]

Nice to see you back - sounds like things are looking a bit better. Sorry your voice is still giving you trouble.

 

[allan]

Tarak
Welcome back
I can sympathize with your frustration and disappointment in being forced due to circumstances beyond your control to have to put aside your singing career. The need to express yourself that way is sometimes hard for many to imagine; it's not like leaving one job for another, it can be a wrenching life experience
Training almost for almost all of my younger life to be a classical trumpet player aiming for a symphony gig and having to stop playing because of serious embouchure issues was a very difficult transition for me and my family, but thirty five years later I can say I made the right decision
Hopefully things will work out for you and your new career

 

[rangerearthpig]

Welcome back, and best of luck with your life changes.

 

[davidintexas]

Good to see you back Tarak. Hope things work out well for you. Sounds like you will be very busy. Hoping the pipe will help ease your way through it. BTW, where are you living now?

 

[layinpipe]

Congrats and welcome back, Tarak! Glad things have changed...for the better. I wish you a speedy recovery and hope you are back to flexing those golden pipes, pain free, as soon as possible!

 

[gregprince]

Good to see you back. I've thought of you often, hoping that things would turn out well.

 

[bigboi]

Welcome back, thanks for the update. What state are you in now?

 

[CherokeeBilly]

Welcome back and congrats on your new job. My wife is a nurse so I know how rewarding that career path can be as well as how hard you work. Sounds like things are getting back on track for you.