How I quit my job

Last week I was feeling pretty stressed about what is the correct way to resign one's job after the company kept the job open (sort of) for months of illness. I wanted to make sure they understood I was leaving for the lower drive-time and other stress-reduction, not because I wanted to be mean to the company I work for. I ended up writing the most detailed resignation letter ever, but it worked. They were very sympathetic about it all.

I'm going to alter a bit of my letter and include it here so that maybe it will help someone else who is resigning for health reasons someday. (Resigning for health reasons felt so touchy because I don't want anyone to think I'm incapable of doing my job. I'm not. I'm incapable of commuting 2 hours a day and doing my job well.)

So anyway, here's the Master of Irony approach to resignation:

To whom it may concern:
I am regretfully submitting my resignation, effective February 5, 2008.
When I was hired by {Company} I was working in {Very Rural County} and was told I eventually would primarily work in this county (which is where I live). I accepted this offer because I needed to reduce my commute time, which at that time was 75 minutes each way. Instead we lost the contract when {nursing home corporation} went to in-house therapies, and that has resulted in my commuting a long distance. I’m back to commuting a minimum of 45 minutes each way and on days I am needed at {specific nursing home} it is back to 75 minutes each way . I have been willing to do this because {Company} is a good company I am proud to have worked for.
However, this fall my health issues worsened and at this time I need to reduce the stress on my body. I have an opportunity to reduce my commuting by a minimum of 50%. After careful consideration I have decided I need to take advantage of this.
So that you understand, my days currently follow this cycle: wake up, go to work, work, drive home, eat supper and take 30 pills (most of which are sedatives that I need to sleep off before safely driving so I must take them early), and then I go to bed and sleep 10-12 hours. I literally have no time to relax, to clean my house, to go to the store, some days even to pick up my mail from my PO Box. I explain this not so you feel sorry for me but so you understand why I must move on so that hopefully I can have some semblance of a normal life and thereby maintain my precious health. At this point I also do not feel I could be the best employee possible for {Company} because the driving takes away the energy that should go towards patient care.
I regret this time has had to come. Unfortunately {Company} simply doesn’t have any facilities near where I am and my personal life is not such that I can move to be closer to {Company}.
I am willing to do anything needed to make this transition as easy as possible over the next 3 weeks.
Sincerely,
Just Me, MS, OTR/L


So there you have it. It seemed to go well enough so I guess that's a good way to resign.