Volunteer work

I went for my volunteer work interview on wednesday, so very soon I shall be an official hospital volunteer. They already had my application form and had got my references, so now I just need to fill in a crb form and a medical form(which I will come back to later) and then I shall be starting.

Anyway she went through a big load of jobs that I could do, from the chaplaincy that I had originally applied for, ward work, admin type work, helping with the mobility scooters, helping in the renal department, being a clinic hostess and some other things that I can't really remember now. Anyway, I have signed up to do a few hours one day a week with the chaplaincy team. I'll sort of be like a go between for the patients and the chaplains, and take people to the prayer room and services etc. The other thing I have signed up for is to help one day each week in the mammogram/breast care clinic. I'm a little bit nervous about it, I've got a vague idea of what I'll be doing, I think a lot of it will be brewing up and keeping people company, but won't really know what it's going to be like and what I'll do until I start. In one sense the ward work would have been easier as it is something I have done before, but there was something about this that just felt right for me to do.

As for the medical form, it's got a lot of detail that it wants to know! I know I'll be working in a hospital so potentially you can come into contact with all sorts of people and illness's, medications and situations too. The list of questions is fairly comprehensive though from normal to pretty personal. What childhood illnesses have I had, what vaccinations have I had, do you have any allergies, diabetes, difficulty bending, have you ever self harmed, have you ever had a problem with alcohol, any other substance abuse, have you ever had counselling, psychiatric treatment, depression, a nervous breakdown, Do you suffer from menstrual or gynaecological problems, migraines, deformaties of limbs, have you ever had an eating disorder, or unexplained weight loss or gain, have you ever had any operations, ever had a disorder of the bladder or kidneys, etc etc etc

My first thought was I'm sure no-one can be free from all those things, not they are asking you to be, but that I'm doing well to have only ticked 4 yes's, then actually on thinking about it I think my DH could say no to them all. Makes you remember quite how well off and blessed we are in the health department. Some people suffer so much with their health and I am very thankful for our health.