Looking Back to See Forward
Written by: Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson
It is Sunday 3rd February Craig’s Table has been open this year since the 9th of January. It is an odd feeling to know that just in that short space of time the lives of many people have changed simply because of their involvement at Craig’s Table.
Lives of not just the participants but the lives of their families as well. Little Jeremy* arrived to visit his Grandfather who was reshaping the Bags of Love area: at just 2 years old, Jeremy pitched in to help, he collected the eggs he shifted packets of pasta and crates of drinks he shifted chocolate as well as tasting a lot of it as well. Jeremy laughed and he played and he worked as hard as any 2-year-old can work whilst at the same time checking on his Mum and Grandmother and even when needed making sure that Grandfather was doing what he was meant to be doing.
What was interesting is how everyone interacted with Jeremy and how after the expected initial shyness Jeremy just became part of the A Team, included in everything, helped with everything and naturally sent home with more chocolate as a way of all of us saying thank you.
This was followed last week with another participant who called in also bringing his little boy with him, again there were eggs to collect and chocolate to share and fun to be had. In all the wee one was only there for a short time, but the fun was shared by as many as possible.
Craig’s Table understands that although a single person has a workplace injury the entire family unit is impacted by the injury. Each of us at Craig’s Table relish in the family interactions because we each know the value of such times.
We also received a phone call from a Mum who was in hospital after major surgery, her teenage children were in the care of another family member, but they needed help with food. The question of could they access the Craig’s Table Bags of Love hamper as the situation was quite dire. The answer naturally was yes: the teenagers arrived to collect a small emergency hamper with the instructions to return again to collect a normal hamper.
I am not sure which tears were more poignant, the tears of relief from the girls or the tears of joy from those who packed the emergency hamper.
Next comes a new placement, the concern that Craig’s Table can not really be everything she has been told it is was written all over his face, all of it changed after a quick tour and a welcome by everyone he met. He went home with some eggs and a safe knowledge that there are people who really do understand and want him to be a part of the community at Craig’s Table.
Then there was a happy but sad parting. Last year we started hosting Carmel* a student who is studying to work in the rehabilitation industry here in Sydney. The time arrived for Carmel’s placement to end, she did an official handover to Mathew* anew trainee. I think the most telling thing that Carmel said is “this is not taught at university, these people have real problems, they need real help, they just want help”
I know that when Carmel enters the workforce later this year, she will take with her a type of understanding that as yet is not widely known within the workers compensation industry; likewise, when Mathew leaves, he too will take a much broader sense of understanding the challenges that are common place within the injured worker community.
I guess the best surprise though was actually very external to Craig’s Table.
I have known for a very long time that many within the wider workers compensation industry watch just what is happening. Many send emails or requests for LinkedIn connections (which I always accept). Last week there was another such email, to which I responded, then within an hour came the phone call from the Michigan area -as yet I am not at liberty to say who the call was from- the caller is interested in what is possible, what can be do and how can it be done, as well as what is needed to ensure things happen.
The interesting thing about the call is that it was so positive, the caller provided me with names and contact details to verify his credentials (which are impressive): it is going to take a while to see where it all goes and what comes out of it, if nothing else I have another friend in Michigan which is always good to have.
Now tis time to pack up for the night and head to bed.
Yours in service
Rosemary
Rosemary
*Jeremy, Carmel and Mathew are not their real names.
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