is about to begin.
These last two weeks have been quite the weeks. It started with a sharp pain in my right side that I figured was a muscle until it was still sore a few days later and I wasn't generally feeling well. The pain continued and I saw the dr who referred me for a CT scan and drew some blood. Both of these resulted in nasty bruises from nurses who apparently weren't great with difficult veins.... They didn't think the pain was appendicitis because I was eating.
I continued on--spending time at school with training, workshops and getting to know our new full time Algebra teacher (who is the awesome) There was convocation (at which I usually have to fight back cynicism), the Ron Clark presentation, and then setting up things around my classroom.
Then, we moved the wheelers to Waco... a venture of a little over 48 hours with me moving around lighter objects, driving down their truck, sleeping and resting my side when I could, good food and fun with friends. I discovered that Baylor is a gorgeous campus and Waco street layout is more confusing than here in good ole Longview.
We came back, I spent more time moving (pushing with my knees and/or kicking, dragging) things around my classroom and making it feel like my territory again. I also cleaned out the filing cabinets of MUCH paper that was out-of date, not mine, not relevant, or stuff I already had. This is all in the name of the grand plan of starting the year organized! so it's easier to stay that way as I go. hehehe. All the while, I'm enjoying time with my math ladies and trying to wrangle the results of my CT and bloodwork from the dr office.
After learning our new and improved gradebook program, I finally went to the office and demanded my results which had "just" come in. Everything was clear (good) but I was still hurting (bad) So they put me on Nexium for my stomach, referred me back to the gastro who spotted the gallbladder malfunction last year and he said, "it's just a muscle." Apparently, the puncture from laproscopic surgery last year can cause a certain to nerve to get irritated and cause side pain-"neuropathy" So I was told to take anti-inflammatories and rub in muscle balm. I suspect that my having begun to lead a more active lifestyle make have stirred things up--guess it's good to know that the exercise is doing something to my muscles.
The week of teacher days has been spent with half day trainings/meetings and half-day work in classrooms, and lunch out with the math crew. We're introducing our new girl to the good places in Longview--Butcher Shop, Joes, Jason's Deli, Dudleys, El Sombrero, Sonic, and Bodacious.
THe last two late afternoons in my classroom have me generally ready to go next Tuesday. We even have 5 weeks planned out in curriculum and not too much to make or rework. I have two weeks of lesson plans actually typed out. My walls aren't boring. The new textbooks are numbered. I have something of a system for my filing. Now, i still have many things to do...but not things that had to be done before the first day of school. We're looking forward to this group because they're coming to us with a much better history of test scores than the group we had last year. My class schedule has changed a little bit, but with lower enrollment our class sizes are looking nice (under 20 so far). The technology is set up and working.
Ready or not, here it comes :-)
Posted by Anna at August 31, 2007 05:50 PM | TrackBack