Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Depression sets in AGAIN!


Again it is beginning to depress me. I hate this time of the year since I can’t buy the gifts I want, I can’t go where I want. I can’t do what I want, I don’t get a pay check and I feel so left out. Oh I will make it through til the first of the year but things won’t be normal. The weather tears me down, my knee tears me down, my “mini-stroke” tears me down, no having school tears me down, a broken tractor in the country tears me down, I can go on and on and on….

My brain wants better but all this is holding me back. PT is going good – so to speak, every day I just live to get to the night so I can go to bed and sleep for 10-12 hours. I don’t but I can at least wish. 

The weather is bad down here in south Louisiana; tonight it is supposed to get to 27 or below. Things are not looking up. My wife is planning a Thanksgiving feast tomorrow for our kids and her dad. I just want to get past the day - period. We tend to not go out to shop on Black Friday so that helps. I will most likely be assigned tree duty and lighting duty for the house. We were not able to book rooms for the All-State band conference this past weekend due to the LSU game over booking rooms in Baton Rouge – the first time in 18 years for us. Saved us money – I guess. We are not going to the RennFaire in Texas this year due to the cold air – that’s saves us money again. It is all DO NOTHING time that I hate.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Moving On


Well, it’s cold. Make that COLD and it is getting COLDER. If the weather conditions hit the Freezing mark in South Louisiana it is considered COLD. Especially in November. IT never gets this cold before February but the climate is changing and it is getting colder by the day down here. Right now it is 48 degrees but as it gets darker outside things may and will get colder as the night goes on. They are taking about a low of 32 and even colder in a couple of days.

Come Wednesday I have a doctor’s visit to get an injection I my knee of Supartz. It should help my legs and knee get better and better.

I have still been working on lessons for my classes next year but I still don’t really know if they work because I can’t test them. But hey, I am coming up with a ton of ideas and projects.

Christmas is coming up and that will drag me down due to not having any real money since I don’t have a paycheck. This is just going to make me even sadder.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Seven Days of sickness


It has been a very miserable three days as I suffered through a 24/48 stomach flu that me down sleeping very long, not eating, not drinking, not going the bathroom, nothing for the first two days. The third day was just a little better as I could get up and down all da eating a couple of crackers, eating a few cantaloupe slices, and one time drinking a LITTLE tiny glass of protein shake, and another eating a few peach slices throughout the day. A late shower allowed staggering to my nephew’s birthday/going away to the Marines went as well as expected. A full night’s sleep last night worked well so I am up and at it this morning.

I feel so much better today so I feel like I can tell about the “flu: or whatever it was that go me down. This thing hit me so hard that I did not get to see my youngest grandson or my granddaughter over the two days. I did not eat or drink anything. I had nothing but dry heaves for the time period.

Sunday I was still not completely better but I was up and around even though I did not make it to church. I did manage to stay up most of the day and watch some TV and talk to my wife a little bit.

On Monday I had a doctor’s appointment in LC and after I filled out a bible of paperwork got to meet with two nurses and two doctors. All info was great but it was more and MORE questions about my knee. BY the time I left I had missed seeing my grandson heading off to the Marine recruit center at Paris Island.  I only missed his leaving by 10 minutes but I STILL missed it. I headed up coming home and sleeping for three hours. From there I stayed awake the rest of the day/evening.

Today (Tuesday) I got up just fine and feel almost NORMAL and I hope things will go well. I am still ten pounds down from normal but I feel better. Had breakfast which was leftover from yesterdays meal but it was good.

Now I have things I want to get done from the last seven days!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Depressed


Things have really gone from bad to worse to really depressing as I sit here and WISH I could go back to school NOW. Oh I have written lesson ideas right and left but don’t know if they will work since I can’t try them out. I miss my students – sure I have been up to school a few times but not often enough. And if I were it is still not MY class. I am getting more and more depressed each day.

I sit here and read blogs, the newspaper, emails, and do as much as I can on my laptop but it is still not the same. My mini stroke is getting better but not good enough. TH brain want it to be better NOW but the body is just taking its own sweet time. Sure I am out cutting grass, weed-eating, ‘wobbling’ around the house without a cane, going to church getting out to go to the store from time to time but it is still not “normal”.

I miss getting paid so I miss being able to do things on a daily bases. I tend to check my bank account every day to so I can ‘know’ that it is still in the black. Sure it is bad but I also have to check what is coming up – Christmas, birthdays, softball. All-State music, RennFaire, etc. All those take money and getting back on my feet.

I want to get back to ‘typing’ with ALL ten fingers – I am typing with eight right now even though I am TRYING to get better at this. Eight fingres is better than five so I have come a long way so far. It is a lot like walking around. I can get from room to room, place to place with a cane now but this left leg brace/boot is heavy and it slows me down but not as bad as it used too. It is better than before when I had to use a cane even day.

PT at the hospital is down to just one day a week for now. Going there is a ‘pain’ in a since but even that is better than it used to be. I try to do my ‘exercises’ as much as possible on a daily basis. I have been told every week that it is getting better and I know I only have about 8 weeks to go before they release me. I am told that if I can get my foot to bend back or arch up at least 70% I can get out of this brace. It is about 90% now so it at least gives me a goal to shoot for. It’s my toes that still sort of drag as I take my steps and that is the lats real worry. I can climb out front steps every day. I have a new procedure that I have to go see at a clinic on the 18th. That’s making me excited.

But you can see that I am still depressed due to my teaching. I want to be in my own class, teaching what I love, and visiting on a daily basis with the friends I have at my school. The problem is that I know I will get there but just NOT SOON ENOUGH!

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Boot this thing!


This boot/brace on my left foot to beginning to “weight” me down in a sense, I want it off and I walk to “walk” like I used to. I want to back like it used to be. I still try to do the things I used to but it takes me MUCH longer than before. Hauling items, weed eating, to cutting board takes so much longer. Going places I used to take so much longer than it used to. Some places I am asked to go get a ‘no way’  I would rather not even go because I am just to slow.

I have not been to a football game, marching festival, visit a historical site, all because I am just to dang slow, can't climb steps, to afraid of failing. I just want to get out of this boot/brace. 

I am going to go to my grand-daughter’s school carnival after church today but I would rather not. I know I will just slow everyone down. I know I won’t enjoy it as much as I used to even though it is with my grand-daughter and my wife.
I just want to get rid of this boot. The nurse at PT fussed at me last visit because I didn't wear it. I had hoped she wouldn't but she did! She did teach me several things I need to do to help. But I am sorry. I don't want to be in this thing forever.

I do know that I am getting better, I am not dragging my foot with each step, I am lifting my foot better when I climb the steps getting up to our front porch. I am even going down the steps frontwards....but very slowly. I just want to get better YESTERDAY! Is that to much to ask? 

Monday, October 7, 2013

SLOWLY getting better


The “bookcase” back in my classroom/workroom/study is slowly beginning to together. I am pre-assembling all of it out in the garage and when I get help I will bring them in the study where I am putting it all together.

I have I been able to SLOWLY empty a couple of file cabinets. I have tossed tons of hard copies that I no longer need. I am SLOWLY moving books, DVDs, video takes, tons of history materials, and lots of stuff I use from time to time. I can begin to toss tons of materials that I have stored for years and years and years.

I have filled our trash cans twice now and will fill them again this week. It may not look like it but I can see the end coming SLOWLY and I can get things ready for a bright future. From the outside it may not look like much but I can see a deference being made.

My PT is going well even though I have now loss both nurses that have worked with me from the start. One graduate and moved back home to north Louisiana and the other was moved to a new department for her next rotation within the hospital. But I can tell that things are getting much BETTER even though it is not fast enough to suit me.

I am walking better – without a cane – except when we go out someplace. I like having it as a “backup” just in case. I have been a few places without it and I walk around the house without it. Right now I am not even sure where it is!

My typing is getting better. I am typing this with 8 fingers – five on my right hand and three on my left. The left still does not work great but it is not hitting the wrong keys at least!

I have cut the grass on my riding lawnmower and weed-eaten most of the yard. I have done all of this without my cane but with my brace/boot. Hey, it is a step in the right direction.

Back to my study and my bookcases. I have painted the wall and gotten everything ready for the final bookcases for this afternoon when I get some help bringing them in –I am not making that mistake again.
I am no longer trying to RUSH things!

Friday, September 20, 2013

Shower news and PT


Finally this wonderful shower got used the way it was intended. My wife and I got to shower together using the handheld and the rain head shower at the same time. There was so much extra room in the shower that it was fantastic. The outside rain storm did not bother us as we spent so much extra time using the over-sized shower as a duo for the very first time. I have been in the vanity room as she showered and she the same with me but this was a first time to use the shower together.

My wife washed my left leg which I can’t do very well and helped me with my back and right arm which the left one does not do really well.

Using the other tub-shower was never fun or comfortable. We always have to make sure not to push the other one much because you would fall out. This time there is so much extra room that there was never a problem or fear of making someone fall out.

I would show you photos but that’s not happening. Just take it on fact and understand it was fantastic having so much room to move around, helping wash each other’s back etc., a bench to sit on while we washed our feet, legs, etc. the shower cost over $18,000 total so it needs to get used as much as possible. It has and will from now on.

PT went really well Friday and I see that I am making progress so that also makes me happy. Today I actually put my pants on while standing up. I got my socks on by myself and put my brace/boot on followed by my shoe. All this used to be no big deal but today it was a cause to celebrate! The mind games we played in OT today went super and I got to actually do them with my right hand just to set a standard to shoot for. I am almost there on all of them so that made me smile. The PT with the brace/boot helped me do so many things better – my gate and walk is so much more stable and I don’t tend to lean to one side or the other.

I will keep you posted on both

Monday, September 16, 2013

Rehabilitation is BORING!


It is so tuff to just sit around and wait of the next PT. It is slowly killing me and I want to get back to doing what I love. I want to be working with my students and doing Louisiana history. I can only create just so much stuff without really teaching it to my students. I know I will get to use it next year but I can’t wait till NEXT year. If you are a teacher you know how I feel.

I am getting better each week at PT and they keep great records so they are documenting my process but it is just not fast enough. I still have my grandson as a homeschool student but he is bored and I am bored so not enough seems to be getting done. I don’t think my daughter is taking this serious enough. It has been four weeks and my wife and I have seen him about 6 to 8 times.

He is super smart but he is getting super behind also. What do I do? I really don’t care for world history and I want to teach him U.S. history but that’s not what he needs this year. By next year I will be back in class. At least I hope so.

The bathroom is now up to 99.75% complete. I only have the door to take off, cut the bottom off a small bit,” sand and paint it, then put it back up. All that has to wait until I am better and can start doing more things on my own I guess. I have used the shower several times and it is great. My wife has used it and she is saying she loves it too. Hopefully in the near future we will get to use it together. Hopefully!

I still have bookcases to put up in the back bedroom or class room storage, but that has to wait also. I am getting it all done before I can start putting them up. I have cutting them, measured them put brackets on them, painted them, done everything I can outside in the garage. All I have to do now is bring them inside and start assembling them. But that seems to have to wait until I get “help according to my wife.

Rehabilitation is BORING!
 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Bathroom 99.95%

Our new bathroom in now 99.95% complete. The rest will be done over the next few days but all the carpenters, tile guys, plumbers, A/C, electricians are finished! My grand-daughter tends to think of the new shower/bathroom as a water-park!
The shower is 8 foot by 5 foot and completely tiled...
We still have to got get matching towels...
It has a rain-head shower plus a handheld and we have a skylight in the shower now...
Wonderful tiled flooring too...
Corner soap/shampoo holders plus bend seating...
Got a wet side of the shower and a dry side now...
 
Got the vanity area tiled and nearly complete and no door on this shower area...
 
New bathroom area also with new vanity, mirror, toilet, mirror, towel holder...
 
 


 
What is left to be done? The toilet-seat is coming but will be in within week. The door needs to be painted - should be done this week. Towels need to be bought. Like I said, it is 99.95% done but we can at least use it now after 9 weeks of work!



Saturday, September 7, 2013

need....


This has been one really lon-n-n-n-g day and it is just noon. I have painted a wall, had my daughter come by to leave her cat so we can cat sit for a week while THEY go on vacation, at a tiny lunch, just killing time till I go out to the candlelight ceremony for my wife’s retreat. My sister is bringing supper about 5-6. By 9ish I will be back and heading to bed. It has really seemed long today. Sure there are a few football games on but nothing of interest. Maybe I can check out on-demand and find something or just take a nap. I can think of all the things I want to do but I don’t want to get into trouble.

There is just not much to do if I am going to stay out of trouble. Maybe I can at least make a list of what I want or need to do….

1 – cut the grass,

2 - Edge the yard,

3 – walk around the yard

4 – work on my selves

5 – go by Lowes to pick up screws for shelves

6 – finish shelves and start moving books and class materials

7 – star emptying file cabinets

8 – measure and cut door for back hot-water heater closet

9 – drill and mount toilet paper holder

10 – drill and mount towel rack in shower

11 – clean floors leading to shower room

12 - Cut and put down thresh-hold for shower room/bathroom

13 – play with grand-daughter

14 – work on lesson idea

My sister just sent supper/lunch. Very good eating. That gives me something to do at least. Just head some thunder. Hate to say it but I want my wife back. It has been too quite around here. I guess when you have been married for over 42 years you miss the other a lot – and I miss her!

Friday, September 6, 2013

TEACH


Boring.

That just how I feel today since my wife is gone on her Catholic church A.C.T.S. retreat for the weekend. I when to bed early last night and went to PT this morning. They all say the same thing, “you are getting better”, I know it is true because there are things I just could not do three weeks ago and now at least I can feel my lets moving and my head helping out on the keyboard.

I know that they took their phones and watches away so there is no way to contact her because I was  there at the beginning of June. I sort of know what they are doing tonight and what is planned for tomorrow. I know what kind of food she is eating now and how much she is enjoying herself – been there.

Now I am not eating very good because I have to cook for one. But it is okay. Let’s see today I went to double PT, then I went to town to pick up the one part we need to FINISH the bathroom – they didn’t have it because the truck was delayed, came home and tried to fix dinner but electricity went off and was off for about two hours, sat and watch some TV but was bored, the plumbing guy came by to deliver that one small part, took out trash, took a shower in my unfinished bathroom, washed the sheets and blanket for our bed and put them back on the bed, been reading various websites, cooked little can of chili, and probably will go to bed early again tonight. Exciting day I know.

But hey, I did not do anything stupid.

I just watched the CBS show TEACH about some really gifted teachers. I feel that I do those things and have inspired students to become teachers in their own lives. i only wish I could still do the things I have always done at my current school but I am told I can’t because we don’t have our own buses and getting one would be too expensive to buy or even rent. I am sad that I can’t do these things for my own students anymore.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Stupid me


Boy did I mess up Monday afternoon. I was doing something I should not be doing and made a huge MISTAKE. I was trying to build my shelves and move them inside. I was bringing in one board and I got to the second step and dropped the board and fell cutting my arm big time. Blood was running everywhere since I am on blood thinners. I got fused at by my wife because I SHOULD KNOW BETTER  and I should not be doing this.

I came in, cleaned up my arm, sat for the rest of the day – I sulked really. Tuesday I went to PT and they asked me about it – I ended up telling them that I was stupid. The arm is getting better and I am just sitting around doing not much of anything.

My wife has my car at a registration for the youth orchestra and I am just sitting here (gets boring I know). The plumber came today to finish the bathroom and part of the things he needed was not here. The company said I picked it up but they don’t have a signature showing that I did. They ordered a new part to be here in the AM. I will go pick it up so he can finish the work. The toilet seat is still not in so I guess the bathroom is about 99.95% complete, but it’s not done yet.

My wife is leaving tomorrow afternoon for a church retreat – an Catholic ACTS retreat, the same that I just got back from about three months ago. NO, I will not try something stupid. I will just go to PT like normal. I will sit at home alone, watch some TV alone, go to bed alone, get dressed and sit some more alone, and go to church alone….

My doctor’s told me today that I should have knee surgery until it is really giving me problems. The shot I have caused my BP to spike way up and surgery might not be a good thing right now. I have to agree. He seems to think that PT is working and I should let that work for a while then make the decision.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Think I'm bored?


Listened to my university put the butt-whipping to a much bigger, stronger, more players than we have, team in south Florida. We got $400,000 payoff for playing them PLUS we beat them big time – 53-21. We will take it anytime. We were considered to be the underdogs before the game but came out smelling sweet! And we played them at their house! We only have about 9,000 students enrolled and they have over 40,000. Some things look so good in the morning as well as last night! We will take it anytime we can get it.

Time to get ready for church. Took all my meds, did all my BS/BP, and called in my prescriptions for refill. Need to pay a few online bills and sit back and wait for whatever is next. Need to go by Lowe’s to pick up a few things. This afternoon I can work on my shelves a bit more. Maybe, just maybe I can get them up today.

Things are just a little slower than they used to be but they are getting done – bit by bit. It gets to me that I can't go as fast as I used to. I am not used to waiting around so much. I think this is part of why my weight gain or lack thereof has not changed much. I always weigh in at one pound down, then one pound up, then a half pound down, then a half pound…you get the picture. Over the last 30 days it bounced from 3 pounds down to one pound up and it has changed daily. Nothing major.

Looking at another week of nothing but PT and sitting around. Piddling. I don’t like this. I am used to being busy big time. I am hoping to have my bathroom completed this week. I have enjoyed these guys around but I want them done so I can actually use the bathroom and new shower room! I also hope that next week I have good news about my surgery for my knee and my brace also. I want all this “other” stuff out of my life so things can just get back to normal – whatever that is.

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Saturday is time, oh wait, everyday is off right now....


I have to stop thinking that Saturday is my only off time because it isn’t. I have been outside cutting shelves for my back book room/ classroom/ whatever it will be called. It has been slow as all get out but it is getting done. My wife is out on the back porch replanting her plants.

Yesterday I had both left arm PT and leg PT. The arm lady said I need to get the muscles back working, use them all the time I need something done – button buttons – I wear pullovers but my wife wore a button up PJ shirt to bed and I unbutton all those buttons this morning - clean the table, use it to type which I am doing right now. It has been slow and I am making a ton of mistakes but I can see more work coming out of that hand right now.

My leg is getting better and I tend to walk around without a cane when I can. All of this is getting better but I just have to do things different than before. Emailing and typing on here is slow but I am getting stronger. I just need to think more about what I need to get do so that I can get back to my students. They need me – I hope.

I take my BP every morning before anything, I take my BS before I have breakfast – which the needle stick is getting old – but I need to put it in an excel sheet for my doctor. I weigh myself each morning but the weight has not changed much – it fluctuates up and down about three pounds no matter what my wife fixes or doesn’t fix.

I look over the excel sheet and things have been the same for the past month.  The numbers just have not changed – that’s good and bad – good in the sence that I am at my normal weight and that won’t change and my BP and BS is very stable but bad because I want all of it to come down somewhat.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Friday rambling


I finally got an appointment to talk to the doctor who is going to do my knee surgery so that is a good thing. I also did get an appointment to start doing PT for my left hand. All this is good news for the future even though I know it will be a long time going before I am back in the swing of things. I just don’t want to be hobbled up anymore.

Yesterday we went to the country with our grandsons and my life out there was miserable because I had to sit around and watch my grandson cut grass – my job – and I was bored out of my – lets just say, I was BORED!

We went by the plumbing place to pick up the last item we need so that the plumber can come by and do his thing. I cannot wait until a day gets here that I don’t have to get up and let some person in at 7:30 in the morning. I want to post photos so people will know hat has been done.

It star at that point our bathroom remodel will be done. Eight weeks and it is useable as a small two week four feet remodel and grew into an 8 week 8 feet remodel. It went from a small normal shower to a huge walk in tiled shower with skylight, rain head, hand held, two bench, wet and draw shower with no glass door. It was NOT supposed to be this big or expensive but it just turned out this way. However, we love it.

I made a jump drive for a newbie teacher here in Louisiana of everything I have on my own jump drive. I have emailed her and told her I would tell her how to use everything if she can’t figure a lesson out. I don’t mind giving my things away. Heck, what’s mine is yours I always say. Teachers of Louisiana history have to share because there are just not enough resources. I have the #1 ranked website on Google for Louisiana lesson plans and resources at www.louisiana101.com. I am happy that someone can use items located there. I would just love to have even more sharing.

Got to go get ready. I have double PT in a bit. Wish me well.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Rather be teaching!

The tile guy pretty much finished his work in our remodeled bathroom today. The electrical guy is coming this afternoon to finish his part.  The tile guy will be back tomorrow to look at his work, do any last minute details and be finished. The plumber will be in to do his last minute things on Thursday. By Friday I SHOULD have a completed bathroom remodel after 8 weeks of tear-out and remodeling. By Saturday I should be able to use my “new” bathroom. However, there are still small items I need to do- such as get new towels, sweep, clean, and touch up items that were missed.

All this while still having PT three days a week. I have PT for my leg and now PT for my left hand. However, I still use both and I am painting, cutting out items, and nailing items together. I may be a little slow but I am getting it done. I am not going to let this stroke slow me down very much – or at least a lot. I just can’t stand to go slow.

My oldest grandson is here to help out but he is a high school grad so “he knows better than me”. Kids to not do what they are told. They think they know better. I need the grass cut but he wants to use the riding mower instead of using the push mower around the edges first. He does things backwards then he has to go back and redo things. I love him but he needs to learn that his old grandpaw does know better. My brain does still work!

I have painted the wall in the back bedroom – it has been SLOW but it has been done. Now I can start assembling shelves to put up back there. It may be slow but at least it will get done. My brain wants to go faster but the body just won’t let me. It makes me very sad. The nurse in PT tells me that I am getting better each time I go but I think she has to say that.

I see myself having to s-l-o-w down and I don’t like it. I think about my students that someone else is teaching and I don’t like that either! I hate this. I am a teacher FIRST and should be in the classroom – not just setting here one figure typing on my laptop!

Sunday, August 25, 2013

help from a pre-k kid


Getting to play with my 4 year old grand-daughter is fun. She has spent the past couple of days “helping” me get in and out of the car. I play up the need for her help and she just eats it up. She opens the side van door, lifts my legs, helps me help her get into her car seat, sits with me quietly at church, holds my hand as I “hobble” along outside – of course she walks to fast for me but that’s okay.

The only problem this morning was that she had to get maw-maw to go with her to the donut store instead of going with me. She pretty much took care of everything else today. Now that she has been picked up and is gone I can get back to doing for myself. She is, however, a fairly reliant pre-k student. I love her.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Talking to myself


Why do I go on living? God has taken away my living due to the “stroke’ and school has taken away my reason for getting up every morning. They have taken away my reason for doing the yearbook, I am not allowed to teach my own classes, and I can’t get out to cut the grass, work on my own house, and do the things I have always done. Now I can’t even sleep at night because my brain keeps me awake thinking about what I can’t do.

I can’t really take a shower without help, I can’t put on clothes without help, I can’t eat what I want, when I want without my wife picking it out for me. I am told I have to eat healthy, eat this that and what I really don’t want. I am down to one meal a day now. We don’t go out to eat much anymore. I really can’t drive much. I am told I am too slow so my wife gets upset most of the time.

During the day I sit and watch TV so feel like I am rotting away. My brain still works and wants to do but my body has been taken away for now. Physical therapy has become a drag. I do it because I know I need to but I don’t see any real results.

Over the years I have been able to get up and go whenever and wherever I wanted. I ate what I wanted, watched what I wanted, done what I wanted. Suddenly have to slow down – and smell the roses, in effect. I am not good at slowing down. This will be an impossible year for me it seems.

What have I lost so far:

·       Teaching

·       Doing the Yearbook

·       Walking around normally

·       The use of my left arm

·       Sleeping well at night

·       Taking a shower by myself

·       Drying off for the most part

·       Putting my clothes on by myself

·       Putting my socks on by myself

·       Getting paid normally

·       Cutting grass

·       Painting the walls

·       Building book cases

·       Eating

 

What I have left for now:

·       My brain functions

·       My right arm and hand (I am typing this at 4AM)

·       My websites

·       My sight and ability to read the paper every day online

·       The ability to go to the bathroom nearly normally

·       Walking around (albeit with a cane for now)

·       Shaving

·       Getting dressed with some fancy work by myself

·       Getting to and going through physical therapy

·       Putting my socks and shoes on by myself sort of

·       Using the computer somewhat

·       Waiting on doctor’s calls about knee replacement

·       Working on hand therapy for now

·       Homeschooling my grandson

·       Making these lists

·       Weighing the goods and the bads on these lists

 Okay, maybe things are as bad as they seem for now. I have been told by the therapist that things will get better just not at the snap of a finger. I just have to work at it. Don’t just sit and let death catch up to me. The school has saved me a place for next year, I just have to get back there. Things ARE better than they were three weeks ago. A lot better but my brain still wants things done NOW!

I know at some point I will look back at this post and “man I was at a low point back then”. And Lord, “I am sorry for doubting you. I do have and did have faith but you have to and had to carry me for a while.”

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

3 days in the hospital


It has been a very tuff three days as I got sent to the hospital for what I thought was a mini stroke. After all the tests, sleepless nights, etc., I found out this morning it was only hypertension brought on by a shot for my knee. The shot caused my high blood pressure to shoot through the roof. It then caused all the other problems.  All my tests came back normal with the exception of the BP. I am now off from school for the year and will have a knee replacement. Keep me in your prayers please.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

five days now


I have always been the go getter and no one has ever seen me slow down, so now no one is even stopping to listen to me. No one.

Most people including my wife, has not slowed down enough to really hear that “I have had a mini stroke”. She taught harp classes all week then work an expo for my son and daughter all day Saturday then our daughter in law and grand-daughter came over last night and stayed till after 10pm. Finally I went to bed, then she slept late and headed to church without really asking me why I wasn’t going. I have always gone.

My mini stroke was five days ago and I have been making it through the days alone. My clothes are hard to put on, real hard; my shoes are almost impossible; I have stopped eating because I know what the end results will be – no pun intended; and have not been outside in five days which is killing me.

Maybe I will get to really talk to her this afternoon. I need to go to the doctor tomorrow, to go to the physical therapist tomorrow, and go by school and dropped off my keys – which wife still thinks I am going back next Monday. At least the principal has heard me even though she still wants me there, but there isn't a chace for me - really!

Saturday, August 3, 2013

mini stroke


It has been a tuff several days. Since Wednesday I have been dealing with a minor stoke and my thoughts have been on this school year, what can I still do, what will happen to me if I can’t teach, etc. etc. I am getting better but I know that doing yearbook is out of the question, pulling duty is out of the question, typing two hand is out of the question. But my brain still works, I know I am getting better as the days go by, I have everything planned out for this year, and I have waited on getting these students for two years now.

Do I RETIRE.  or do I go on as long as I can. The Lord is telling me to on. but is he going to help me? I am teaching at a church school and I am a good Christian, and I have recently made a church retreat. I have emailed the principal to tell her that I will teach for less money. I has never been about the money, ever. It has been about the teaching. What do I do now?

If I could teach without the duty, teach without the yearbook (which will kill me), teach without the other non-teaching items, I what to keep teaching. Teaching is all about the kids do doing all the work. I have everything planned out for the year, and my brain still works really well. So what do I do?

Answers please, I only have a week to go......

Saturday, July 20, 2013

5479 items to look at! WOW


Why is it that it is now Saturday and I am setting here going through all the 5479 “Freebies” on Teachers pay Teachers for Middle School? Surely I would have something better to do. I have saved over 500 items that I will then have to go back through so I can see it they are something that I can rework, tweak, gives me an idea of something else, or is just something I MIGHT use during the upcoming year.

I have looked at hundreds of items that I will never use, things that are to low lever for my own students, things that I wonder why teachers post them for middle school when they are relative for maybe 1st grade or lower. I have saved game designs, grade sheets, bingos, Self Assessment Smiley FacesSelf Assessment Smiley Face, Progress Reports, Jeopardy Bingo PowerPoint, directions PPts, Fakebook assignments, lesson planners, various assessment activities, 3-2-1 Exit forms, Printable Gradebook Sheets, weekly lesson templates, etc.

Now I just have to go through them and see which I will keep, which I will toss, and which ones I can use now!  5479 items took me all day to go through them and I am sure if I “refresh the computer” there are more now. The ones that do “click” with me will only click if I can tweak them to fit Louisiana history. Like the thousands of ideas I have downloaded over the years, many of them will fit nicely within what I am teaching at the time. I may not see them until April or May but they will get used, tested, and put on my own website. I will never repost them here on TpT unless they are very re-tweaked so that you do even recognized them as being something over than what they have become.
I only wish TpT would do real middle school social studies teachers and real science teachers and even REAL Louisiana history teacher, but then I might only be looking at my own stuff.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Looking for other Louisiana MIddle Schools


Here I am, the day after the 4th and I am reading blogs about teaching. Of course I have been reading them all summer long plus making, tweaking, and stealing ideas that I just might use this coming scool year. I have so many new and revamped ideas that I really can’t wait to start the new year. I know it is sad but I really, really can’t wait.

The new year will start soon enough. Heck it starts in the middle of August. I have really enjoyed my summer so far and I have been able to visit family in Florida, Texas, and Oklahoma. I still have capenter work to be done during July, dirt work to be finished this month, road trips that I want to get to during July…all before I start the new year. I am sure – but have not heard yet – about staff meetings this summer. We had them last year and the year before so I know they are coming.

I have been working on my calendar for August and September and just what I want to cover in Louisiana history. I have spent time looking for others who blog about what I do and I have yet to find anybody out there in the universe. I have scrolled around the web for months and I hope someone can help me locate SOMWEONE who teaches Louisiana history. I know there is not many of us but there has GOT to be someone else.

I will be back after I surf the web some more. I mean I just found Fifth in the Middle and all the state blogs but they all appear to be elementary.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Vacation [sort of]


As the summer slowly passes by, I hope I am getting things done that will help me this coming year, I have worked on my monthly calendars so that I stay on track to get everything done that I need to. I have looked through ideas, webpages, blogs, TpT [ a dozen times], and made notes after my dreams at night just to be ready.

I know that I am told over and over to “unwind that enjoy vacation” but I just can not. I may be old – 62 but I I still love teaching and it is all new to me. Maybe I should slow down and yes I want to slow down but it seems no one else wants to “slow down to my pace” heck no one wants to run at “my pace” so I guess I will just do what I do around all my friends and family.

I plan vacation time, but I plan vacation time a round stops to see historic sites – on the “down low” so nobody notices. I am planning weekend road trips this summer just so I can go see something that I want to go see. Heck I do my road trips for the past 10+ years.

No one and I mean NO ONE wants to go with me because I can’t tell them “how long we will be gone’. “where actually we are going”, “when or where the potty breaks will be”, “when or where we will eat”. “What actually what we are going to see”, “just that we are leaving and coming back on this day”. I have over 10,000 photos from around the state that I use during classes. I have TONS of stories that I can tell my students, pics I can show them, and places I have been.

My next road trip is to northern Louisiana to see the Bonnie and Clyde museum. From deep south Louisiana it will be a long drive but I will make it a long fact learning, picture filled day along the back roads of Louisiana. Just another educational learning day on the road.

I will mix it in in-between all my other things to do this summer as I count down to the beginning of another school year. Heck Monday I will go back by school just to see what has been happening, visit with a few friends, pick up mail, and talk to the principal and assistant principal.

School has a break but I never try to ready take one. Sure I try to do “vacation” for aout a month then I really start resetting things for another year.

Ten things I am thankful for today

It does not take a lot of time to tell you what I am thankful for - not today or this week or.... 1. I am happy because my wound care doc...