The Good and the Bad/Ugly

THE GOOD: I was sent an email earlier this afternoon that informed me that I had been selected to be one of Earthwatch's 2013 fellows. The program is taking place in Arizona toward the end of July and into early August and will be centered around climate change and caterpillars. (I know this may not sound interesting, but for a science geek like me, I'm very excited!) As part of the program, I will receive a $1,000 stipend for the trip and get to spend 11 days near Tucson, working in the field with other scientists and teachers. I applied for the program on a lark, not really thinking that I would get the opportunity to participate. I guess it just goes to show that filling out long, tedious applications might actually reap some reward!

Photo courtesy of earthwatch.org

THE BAD/UGLY: I have been out of work since Monday, when I went into the emergency clinic for a back injury I sustained at work last week (and that got progressively worse over the weekend). The doctor checked me out and after taking multiple x-rays, determined I had a thoracic sprain in my upper back. He issued some medications and gave me a back brace and an icepack. I had a follow-up appointment yesterday morning, and he told me that I would need some physical therapy. He also changed one of the medications I was taking and told me to up the frequency of which I was taking the muscle relaxers he had originally prescribed. So, I am out of work until next Wednesday when I will have my follow-up appointment after completing several physical therapy sessions.

As much as I sometimes complain about the challenges of teaching, I do miss being away from my classroom. I would rather be teaching my kindergarteners than stuck in bed or on the sofa with an injury. I just want to be back in my element. 

I'm crossing my fingers that the PT the doctor ordered lends to my recovery and return to work.

Germs are the Devil

So, one of the downfalls of being a kindergarten teacher? You're exposed to SO many yucky germs and are susceptible to getting sick. Case in point...

I was sick back in December and saw a doctor. She determined I had bronchitis and gave me a breathing treatment and a round of antibiotics for the ear infection that I had also incurred. After taking the medication, I thought I had gotten better and actually felt relatively decent through the holiday season.

However, last week (Wednesday, to be exact) I felt myself getting sick again. I managed to get myself through the rest of the week (and a formal observation that I had with my principal on Friday) but I didn't have the time over the weekend to nurse myself back to health - I was working at my part-time job - and I think that's what did me in.

I woke up Monday feeling terrible but decided to tough it out and go to work. Low and behold, I didn't make it past 9:30 that morning. I asked my principal to go home and I've been in bed or parked on my sofa ever since.

I went into the doctor on Tuesday and she sent me to the hospital to get chest x-rays, thinking that it could be pneumonia. On top of that, she gave me a steroidal shot to "kick start" my immune system along with another breathing treatment and an aggressive antibiotics and medication treatment - five different medications in all!

It's been horrible. I hate being sick and being away from my classroom and the kids. But I know this comes as a warning - that I need to slow and take care of myself and not work myself to death with two jobs and school. So my doctor gave me a medical leave of absence until next week so that I can fully recover.

Although I don't mind all the extra rest I've been getting, the antibiotics that I was put on are incredibly strong and make me sick to my stomach. I just want to be better already!

So forgive me if I have been lagging on the posts...I will try to get back into the swing of things soon. Till then...