Has anyone been pleasantly surprised by an unexpected act of kindness?

I have.

I've been off work sick for 5 weeks now, & was signed off for a further 3 weeks yesterday. This didn't bode well on the work front, as I was still within my 3 month probationary period when I went off. I fully expected to be back on the jobless list as a result.

I've found the family run company of accountants I work for to be extremely good people - Christians, who, whilst not imposing their religious beliefs on anyone, choose to exercise courtesy and integrity to all staff and customers alike, because they believe it's the right way to conduct themselves.

On informing my boss on the phone yesterday of the extension to my absence, he wanted details. I explained that I'm waiting to have my gallbladder removed, which I've yet to get any sense out of anyone about - in that the internet tells me it can be done quickly with a key-hole op that takes very little time to recover from, but the hospitals around here sometimes use the more antiquated open surgery methods for no good reason, and that would then mean a 6 - 8 week recovery period before being fit to work. I've no idea which route they're planning to take, since I can't get a straight answer from anyone.

Also, they've told me I may have a hiatus hernia, but not advised me how or if there's a treatment for that. They've determined I may have hyperparathyroidism, which they evidently intend to deal with by loosing my file notes, failing to request promised referrals to an endocrinologist, and setting me 9am appointments to see consultants who don't commence work till 1pm.

Hence the high blood-pressure, the medication for which sends me slightly demented.

This being the case, I explained that I understood the companies position, as I was setting up a new department for them, which is now at a standstill. I'd expect them to replace me.

He told me to leave it with him, & I suspected this meant he'd refer to the company owners regarding whether they would terminate my employment contract.

He later called my husband at work - because he was reticent to risk waking me up if I was having an afternoon nap - and told him that I'd to get my GP to book a private consultation and send them the bill!

I've worked for so many ruthless arseholes that this act of kindness has really taken me aback, and restored my faith in people.

I could whinge all day about the tossers I encounter regularly, who I'm sure lie awake at night scheming how to make life more awkward - but I wanted to express my surprise and delight at coming across some people who have shown me not everyone's a self-centred, money-motivated swine after all.

I don't think they were kind bacause they were Christains

Kindness and empathy is a human emotion not a religous one

I have experienced kindness and probably, in turn, been kind

I think people can live without a gall bladder , it is horrible you are finding youself in this situation. I truely hope it al works out for you

Just remember that you know your body better than anyone else so if they are suggesting treatments or procedures that you are not comfortable with , just say no

Wishing you health and happiness

So sorry to hear about your ill-health, gilly - I do hope you can get sorted out soon - it's rotten that the NHS is mucking you about so much. It's marvellous that you're working for such kind people - it restores one's faith in human nature! I think dawn's right when she says that kindness is not restricted to Christians - there are good people everywhere, of all faiths and none - but IMHO if a person is a genuine Christian trying to live out their faith, then they will of course endeavour to treat people decently, as the Scriptures command us to do.

Dawn is also right when she says that people can live without a gall-bladder - in many cases, it's better out than in, and its removal could give you a new lease of life!

All the best!

Mandy

Thanks for the lovely comments.

No, I know kindness isn't restricted to Christianity, but it's just a rare thing these days. How many 'Christians' and people of other religions are hypocrites though, and behave quite thuggishly!

I'm not at all worried about the gallbladder tbh - the parathyroidism's more sinister, but they won't even give a difinitive answer as to whether or not I've got it.

There was a 90 year old woman left slumped in the X-ray dept waiting room at Royal Preston Hospital the other day. I tried to speak with her because she looked uncomfortable, but we didn't understand each other's language. Eventually, her English speaking grandson came in, and it came to light that she'd have been left there forever more if he hadn't arrived and kicked up a stink, because nobody had passed her file through (they'd lost it en-route), so the X-Ray staff were quite happy to ignore her presence, because, "They didn't know what she was sitting there for".

I've had quite a few confrontations with them, and it's a bit frightening just how inept they are.

One eg is where they told me that I had a vitamin D deficiency, "So we'll probably just give you a vitamin D supplement". I know they say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but I'd naturally read up on these conditions, so was able to say, "You'd better bloody not!" I'd read that the body surpresses vitamin D when a parathyroid gland is causing excess calcium in the blood, as a natural self-protective measure because too much calcium's harmful, and the vitamin D helps calcium to be absorbed through the intestine into the blood stream. They seem to say just anything that pops into their heads to fob you off.

awww I bet that women was happy beyond belief you were interested in her


Don't blame the NHS though......I think they do an amazing job

dawnbreak wrote:
I believe certain individuals within the NHS do an amazing job, against all odds.They're unsung heroes. Bless their bones!

Sadly though, the NHS in general is inefficient beyond belief.

@ the good thread Gilly. I hope you'll be alright soon... On the topic, yea, last one of these was just some weeks back. Everybody knows how high priced all the GOOD musical equipment and instruments are. I'm unemployed, poor as the churches rat. I was at my moms, cleaning and fixing my old 80's drums, my uncle was there to watch the cats... He and I talked about the high cost of musical instruments.

The next day my uncle asks me how much do the newdrumheads cost. He then gave me 250€ to buy this stuff. As exchange for some help with his computer. Anyway, he knows it damn easy or me to fix any computer problem he's got, so practically he just gave me the money just like that.. That was kind of support I never got from my parents for example.

On some days, I just love the world.

Hi Gilly........why do you think the NHS is inefficent?

I'm sorry to hear about your health problems Gilly, I hope you get it all sorted out soon and can get back into work It's frustrating beyond belief when you're laid up and doctors take ages to find out exactly what's wrong. I think some of them don't know their arse from thier elbows, and others just don't give a shit. There are good doctors though, I wish there was more of them.

The NHS isn't what it used to be...bring back the matrons I say.

Early in the year, a lovely person did an incredibly kind and generous thing for me, and I cried I was stunned, and very happy Thank you x

I'm trying to think of kindnesses...is someone holding the door open for you a kindness? Or just a politeness, expected, duty thing? I think it's a kindness.

hey gills, thats great about those guys you work for. its nice to hear some one doing a kind act. i hope your surgery goes well and you feel a lot better. being sick sucks. sketty has your meds

batou wrote:
Or, if she hasn't already, she will have.

Gilly, I'm so sorry to hear about all the health problems. Waiting for appointments and letters to be sent is so frustrating. I hope your surgery goes well - whenever you have it! Hopefully they'll pull their fingers out and get the other stuff sorted soon.

On the other hand, you're also incredibly lucky to have such an understanding boss Someone up there must be looking out for you Or, maybe you have been doing such an outstanding job that they don't want to lose you.

It's truly refreshing to read about employers who still understand they employ real people not just anonymous payroll numbers.
Well done those guys!

Sorry to read about your health hassles Gilly. Dealing with the NHS can be a nightmare, you have my empathy there.
I hope you get sorted out asap and make a rapid, full recovery girl.

Sorry to hear about your health problems, Gilly. I am glad that you are on the receiving end of some kindness!

I love the whole "random acts of kindness" stuff. I was on the receiving end once. After prepaying for gas, I passed this business man walking out to my Jeep and smiled. A few moments later, I'm pumping gas and I hear, "Ma'am..." I turn my head to see the man standing there holding out a $5 bill. Thinking he must have thought I was short on money for gas, I politely said "Oh, No thank you; I'm good." But he insisted saying, "Random act of kindness!" I smiled and graciously accepted telling him I hoped it would find it's way back to him. I had been having such a bad run of luck that it really brightened my spirits!

Good luck with everything Gilly and thank you for restoring some of my faith in humanity too... lovely story

A lovely person sent me a keyboard this year It increased my forum pleasure immensely Thank you sketti

People have helped me a lot this year, thank you

Another lovely person took the time to print out her books for me, and bound them very nicely and sent them to me. Thank you

Good luck with your surgery, speedy recovery, and better than new when it's all done with. After you're feeling better, you know that you have a job with great employers to return to. The glass is 3/4 full!

Nice to read your story, Gilly! Thanks for sharing it.

I wish random acts of kindness were more frequent and something everyone did all day everyday.

Many blessings to you and good luck with your surgery x