The roller coaster ride continues...
This week I had a Dr. appointment and he told me the mask is definitely having a negative effect on my asthma. Instead of allowing me relief with a face shield when I need to, he wrote me a prescription for inhaled steroids. I told him I didn't want to keep doing that and the less pills or medicine I am on the better, but here I am. Everything else looked good and I have been feeling much better than a couple months ago. However, I am concerned about the long term impact that wearing a mask all day will have on me.
The day after my Dr. appointment I went to the dentist because I have a tooth that has been bugging me. I have to have a root canal. I suspected that might be the case, but I was hoping I could delay that a bit longer. Nope. That is happening the 14th after work. I went and told my boss I'd either be at work and drooling or staying home based on my reaction to this fun. They were understanding. However, no subs are available and my student teacher is in quarantine due to COVID exposure. She MIGHT be back on the 9th. Sigh...
Then to add to my good news this week I found out a colleague submitted her resignation. That isn't the bummer part. I've been hoping for that since I started teaching with her. The bummer part is now the rest of us have to absorb her students. I don't even know where I will put them. We spent hours measuring the desks and distancing them based on the guidelines. Classrooms weren't built for pandemics. So, I'll be recalculating this soon. Her last day of teaching is the 11th. To break her contract she had to pay a hefty fine, but she has an accounting job lined up. To quit and then leave her students a week before we go on break seems pretty pathetic to me. Some of these kids are on their 3rd teacher this year. I also had to change all of my plans for what I do at Christmas because I was not preparing for more kids. I get the kids Christmas gifts when things are on sale... Um yeah... not for this many. My colleague and I made a tentative game plan for what we will teach and what activities we will do right before break. We are trying to make that week as fun as possible to alleviate stress those kids will be feeling.
Last night I got home and I didn't even know how to process all of these events this week. I took Tylenol PM and went to bed. Then woke up with leg cramps a sure sign I didn't drink enough water that day. So I drank a gallon and a half (slight exaggeration) went back to sleep then woke up about 29 more times (another slight exaggeration) to relieve the pressure of all that water. Needless to say I woke up this morning exhausted. I took my morning vitamins (I NEVER skip these days), ate a little breakfast and fell back to sleep. I battled all day to function. I've been worried all day that I am getting sick. I spoke with a colleague and she said the same thing. I am exhausted today. That made me feel better. I'll just have to rest and drink a lot of WATER this weekend. I'm sure the infection in my tooth is not helping.
I don't know how long us Elementary teachers can keep up this pace. They still expect us to have virtual and live lessons, because of students in quarantine, our prep time was reduced and a third of our lunch has been taken up by making sure students get picked up. Our admin was supposed to help with that, but yeah, nope. Middle and High School teachers were given a whole day student free to prep. I don't know... I just keep taking vitamins and hoping that "This too shall pass." There are folks out there who don't want it to pass. Overall my students parents have been very supportive. I think that most of them are just happy their kids are in school. They don't want to be the teacher, and frankly many of them weren't very good at it. HA! My colleagues and I have had many conversations about the lack of maturity in our students this year. It is a marked difference. No WHINING ALLOWED! Oh the tone of voice kids get when they whine is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. It raises my cranky levels. I had a conversation with my class that they NEVER get to say "I don't want to" at school. That probably worked with many of their parents, but not me. yeah...
My colleagues and I worked on a grant that we turned in a couple of weeks ago. I hope to hear something soon. It would be a huge boost to receive it. We shall see.
