Saturday, August 28, 2010

Back to Reality...a Good Thing

Following a rather fitful night's sleep, I awoke a bit after 4:00 Tuesday morning and tossed around until, finally, my 5:20 alarm went off.  NPR and Steve Inskeep at that hour = back to reality...back to work.  Hallelujah!  I rolled out of bed feeling like an 80 year old woman...a vast improvement from the 90 and 100 year old I'd been imitating the past 3 days.

That was how my week began and, in fact, was the one paragraph I managed to get written following my first day back to school after that nightmarish chemo weekend.  Yes, Tuesday came and I was back in the art teacher saddle again.

Let me say right up front, it would have been much more difficult if not for the great people I work with.  Not that they had to do much for me...I did manage to teach my 6 classes that day, but just knowing they were next door, across the hall or an intercom call away, made me feel safe and secure and cared for, which makes such a difference.  I am so blessed to have such caring co-workers, several of whom stuck their head in my class now and then to make sure I was okay and still upright.  So, this 80 year old woman managed to teach 6 classes that day, and, oddly, by the end of the day, felt more like a 70 year old woman.  Things were looking good!

The week continued in the same manner.  Of course, I was totally exhausted by 3:00 and nodding off early each evening, but so was every other teacher in Springdale.  That first full week is a killer, no matter your physical condition.

Interestingly, by the end of the day yesterday (Friday) that 70 year old woman had actually knocked quite a few more years off and was almost feeling back to normal.  I think it was a combination of time away from chemo, great support from friends, and soaking up the energy that comes from my wonderful students.  They may be the best medicine of all.

1 comment:

  1. It was wonderful to have you back in the saddle again with us. :)

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