Hi Babes
After an up and down few days emotionally, I found out tonight that the 'discussions' HR and my line manager say they have been having with my preferred department about our potential new roles no longer exist.
I phoned someone I shouldn't (the Director of Comms of the department I wanted to work for) after a tip off from an ex-colleague, who was offered the role we were doing on a freelance basis, and it seems discussions stopped a couple of weeks ago, the job offer for us has been taken off the table and offered to an agency by the other department because of how our evil head of department has pissed them around, and our management knew this weeks ago and have LIED TO US AND THE UNION for two weeks now to stop us going public on it.
Despite the promise of help and guidance to find a new role, and transparency about the process we are going through, they have avoided my calls for a month and I found out in the car park waiting for DS to finish training and sat there in the dark and the rain crying on my own. Great staff relations, eh? This is what the public sector has come to.
Am on day 6 today and was doing OK but am so utterly livid am going to have a vodka and a cigarette before bed (gave up smoking 14 years ago, bought an emergency pack when this all started in earnest in December. Still have it hidden)
Honestly, it's been game over for weeks and they can't even be arsed to tell us about something that affects our life. 
They just kept us in this limbo, wondering every day what was going on. It is just so cruel. It's our lives and we are just treated like pawns in a fucking game.
Keep alternating between rage, tears and an utterly flat feeling, like I just want to curl up in bed and never come out again.
I know the drink response is childish, but have to go in work tomorrow for teleconference and 'outplacement meeting' (new word for sacked, binned, got rid of etc) and dreading it. So packed gym bag and will head straight there afterwards to get back on the straight and narrow. Not going to let it slip into a massive binge as have been so good with the diet this week and lost 2lb. Though also had a Flake tonight - going for a hat trick of vices in my misery 
But gutted, really, really upset. And other ex-colleagues who I think knew last week have been avoiding me so as not to have to let on.
Ma - looks like we are in the same boat now, though I hope someone throws you a life raft, no point in us both sinking. Fingers crossed you sort something out xxx 
Hands - brave decision by your ds and gf. Sad though, but I hope it's the right choice for them. Agree with Sweet that they should talk to tutors / student counsellors etc. When I was in my 3rd year a boy I knew failed his finals because of personal reasons but because the uni knew about it and he was talking to people they made concessions and he was allowed to resit. Perhaps you can go up again and help them sort it out. Big hugs to you.
Welcome Otter and waves to everyone else.
Will be back when I can. Have lots of time now my career has been spectacularly derailed ... #middleagedandonthescrapheap