Bruce

My name is Bruce Amundsen and I am a member of Pathways Clubhouse.  I grew up in Vancouver with a loving family and have 2 brothers and 1 sister. I had a healthy upbringing but I was born with 1 kidney and this lead me to the hospital several times before the age of 18. I also did well in school. Unfortunately at the age of 53, my father was diagnosed with Parkinson disease and died the week before my high school graduation.

I felt that I needed to be the breadwinner of the family and so immediately after graduation, I got a job at the stock market as a floor trader. My responsibilities included writing out tickets to buy and sell, and to make sure the quote was on the board immediately. I was fast, a great adder, paid very well, and was one of the top 3 floor traders. Many of the stock brokers wanted me to work for them as they would make a good commission from me. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, the job was very stressful, there was no rest, and a lot of pressure. Working there took away my appetite and I would skip meals and eventually lost weight. All day long there was yelling and screaming, and I felt charged up. To relieve me of my stress, I would go for a drink after work each day, which eventually built up to many drinks every night and soon I became an alcoholic. After working in the stock market for 10 years, I needed to have a less stressful career so I quit and became a labourer at a vegetable warehouse.

It was one evening at midnight in 1996 that I felt liked someone sucked the air out of me. I felt that I was in a daze and looked over the balcony. I knew I was not going to jump but I really felt like it. While laying on the floor, something told me to give the crisis line a call. I did and went into hospital where I stayed in the psychiatric unit for 2 months. Two days before Christmas they discharged me and sent me to a shelter in Vancouver. It was a rough area of town but I would visit my mom almost every day in Richmond. I eventually moved back to Richmond and lived with my mom, and nursed her till she passed at the age of 90.

Seven years ago I was introduced to Pathways Clubhouse. Although I was receiving some help with my mental health, I needed much more in my life. I came in for a tour and knew this was the place for me. I immediately joined the kitchen unit. On my first day of helping in the kitchen, I let the staff know that I needed a job. I needed to be busy and was in need of additional income. Two days later they gave me my first transitional employment job at Heatherbrae. It was an early morning job which fit with my schedule. I worked 2 hours a day, cleaning the office and a variety of other janitorial jobs. I loved it. Not only did it fill my time, but I also felt a lot better because I was busy, had purpose to my day and made a few extra bucks. And the rest of the day I would spend at Pathways Clubhouse.

Since then I have worked Transitional Employment jobs at the Richmond Food Bank and just the beginning of this month I started at Richmond Chinese Community Society.

Pathways Clubhouse provides so much to me and many others who are living with mental illness. I am able to have a paid job in the community without having to explain about my mental illness. I have purpose and meaning to my days as I help out in the work units. And the Clubhouse is a resource centre to help members complete their education, have a home, and make new friends. For many members they find it to be a safe haven and is often referred to as their second home. But most importantly for me, I now feel good, I forget about my illness, and I don’t worry anymore.