This week we’re talking about our favourite non-writing job, and why it’s our favourite.

I’ve had quite a few jobs since leaving school at 18.  Amongst others I’ve been a library assistant, an office clerk, a care assistant, and my last job before taking early retirement was as a medical secretary.  I must admit my 13 years as a medical secretary in a busy NHS hospital has been my favourite job.  The first department I worked in was Cardiology, followed by 7 years in the Department of Pain Medicine, and then in Dermatology.  In-between I filled in for holidays and sickness in other departments, briefly learning their medical terminology too.

It was through working in the Pain Medicine Department that I realised common pain such as low back pain can be improved by toning the abdominal musculature through exercise such as Pilates.  Often with back pain there is referred pain through the hips and knees, and this can also improve with the correct stretching and toning back exercises.  Yes, it takes some effort and the results are not instant, but I have had good results myself through following advice given out to patients by the three consultants who worked there.  Also if all treatment fails, then I learned from the clinical pain nurse specialists that the best thing to do would appear to be acceptance of the pain, instead of constantly railing against the limitations of the body and thinking about what we could have done years ago.  The ‘accept the new norm’ philosophy was abundant in the Department of Pain Medicine!

It was by working in Dermatology that I realised just how important it is to wear sunscreen.  It seemed that the world and his wife had a lump, bump, mole or some undefined blemish on their skin when I worked there.  Age spots such as actinic keratosis are due to sun damage, as is the most aggressive type of skin cancer, melanoma, which can kill by rapid spread to other organs.  While I was there, two young women who both had small children, died due to a metastasizing melanoma.

I learned a huge amount whilst working as a medical secretary, and I could still return as a bank secretary if I so wished.  I have enough on my plate at the moment, but it’s nice to know I’m still needed!

What were other blog hoppers’ favourite non-writing jobs?  Please click on the blue button below to find out, or to add your blog.

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