Bridgette

Part 1 | Read Part 2 here

Tell me about your path to Reconciliation Services. I’ll start by telling you a little bit about me. I’m in my late thirties and I live in Kansas City with six children. I worked for years doing nursing and about four years ago I was injured and it changed my whole life. I was at work and transferring a guy on a lift that was broken. I had stated repeatedly to management that we needed to fix this lift. I’d even sent it down to maintenance and everybody was like, "oh no, there’s nothing wrong.” So I’m transferring the guy onto this lift and I hear something pop in my back and I fall to the floor and that’s it—I can’t work and lose my job! For the next three years I’m up and down with this back injury and then they find spots on my lungs! 

I went through a lot in those years and was just about ready for it all to be over. I was in a bad way when I went up to the RS center. I was trying hard to go forward with everything but I was about done. Then I heard about a new therapeutic program they were starting called SNaP and thought, "what have I got to lose?"

So you signed up for the RS program? Yeah, and I met people like me going through tough situations. I struggle because I’m not working, but I’m doing my best to make life work. It hurts that I can’t get a job right now, but I’m keeping positive. I don’t feel I have to deal with everything on my own anymore now that I have other women in SNaP. I’m better able to deal with my situation because we support each other and I’m learning to do things different.

What’s inspired you most about the program? That I can put negativity behind me and make choices today to stand up and deal with what’s in front of me. I have strengths and I know I can recapture my life from being injured - I believe it now. My goal is to show my children that I have the strength to overcome what I’ve been through and life is going to get better. If it wasn't for this program I don’t know if I would have ever decided to change my ways or the the way I think.

Any advice for others who might be struggling? Be open to learn and receive from others. Have an attitude of gratitude, there’s always someone who’s suffered more than you.