Latest News and Comment from Education

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Daily Kos: Thanks

Daily Kos: Thanks:


Thanks

the text of this diary was first posted during American Education Week, November 16, 2010.  Although I did not continue in the classroom until I was 70 as I then expected, as I reread this posting this evening, I felt as what I had to say about teaching was worth repeating.  The link in the original piece no longer goes to the same page, so it is not live in this posting
This is American Education Week.  It is a time to focus on those who play important roles in education.  Were one to go to this page at the NEA website, one would see that there are many who play roles, including support personnel and substitutes, parents as well as teachers.  This week we honor all.
For me, especially after a weekend in which I was able to refocus myself on what is important for me, I find that I am in a very thankful mood, albeit 9 days before our officially celebration of thanks-giving..
This morning I wish to offer thanks to many who have made my journey as a teacher possible.  Some are those who are included in the recognitions of this week.
Some are people I have never met, but their words have inspired me.


We are now five weeks in to this journey

Has it really only been 5 weeks?  It was January 27th when Leaves and I walked into the xray center at Virginia Hospital Center for what we thought was going to be a relatively routine MRI of her back prior to a referral to a pain management specialist only to find out - eventually - that she had a blood cancer which had compromised her spine.
Yes, her life in particular, but my life as well, our life together, now changed.
So where are we after five weeks?
Today and tomorrow Leaves on the Current will take the pills that will represent the end of her first two weeks on chemotherapy:  two weeks of injections Tuesday and Friday, 14 days of a powerful pill, then one week off.  Every four weeks she will receive an infusion of a substance to help restore her spine.  On the days of the injection and the day after she has to take a large dose of a steroid, but otherwise has now been weaned off steroids on other