Hi ho! Hi ho! It's back to work I go...

[Susie*Bee]

Yay!

Hey everyone! I made it!!! It's been a rough first week with classes-- have to confess I cried all the way home on Monday and then laid down for 1.5 hours.... total exhaustion and massive feelings of being overwhelmed. What a JOLT when you've just been puttering around and resting when you want to. It really is a totally busy 8 hour day. The good thing is that I think with each passing day it got a little better. Yes, I am ready to REST as soon as I get home. Usually by reading a book while lying down on my bed-- takes all the weight off my back and feet and legs. (EVERY part of me is tired...) But then I am ok after a bit.

On the flip side of the tiredness issue is the highlight of seeing all those kids. I just love them! And it was VERY exciting and encouraging for me to see they they had obviously missed me. My replacement last year was a very pretty young college grad who hadn't gotten a teaching job yet. It was a great job for her and she enjoyed it, because she had every grade level to work with... but I was afraid the kids would be disappointed to see me back. Au contraire! They seem so excited and genuinely happy to have me back... I have always worked hard to know their names (over 400 of 'em) so my challenge now is to remember all the old ones after more than a year's passage (and they have grown so much and changed in appearance -but I would still give myself a B+ for remembering most) and to also learn all the kindergarten and 1st grade kids-- and any new kids from last year or this... so probably around 150 new faces and names. I can do it! It just may take a little while.

This coming Thursday is my scoli appointment. I will check and double-check to make sure I'm not doing anything that could cause problems. Otherwise, even though this is HARD WORK, I think I will be able to do it, as long as I can come home and collapse for awhile. I am so happy my hubby is understanding and helpful... we may be eating very simple meals for a long time, unless he does the cooking! And Singer/Chris-- I pretty much skip the housecleaning too. A little picking up, sometimes sweeping, never vacuuming. And I don't get down to do things like scrubbing. Light dusting is ok, but probably not on bottom shelves. If it gets bad enough, he'll do it. He does the vacuuming-- and neither of us is that bothered if it's not spotless.

I'll let you know how my appt. goes.... and how I'm doing after more time passes with the job. Thanks again for all your concerns and care. You are ALL so important to me! Hugs, Susie

[CherylPJ]

Cheers

Susie*B

I'll bet that you are great! Any group would benefit from your enthusiasm and energy. What a perfect job for you.

I wonder if your sharing might not have added advantages with 5th graders. Some of them may face similar concerns in the near future and remember your successes.

Best of luck and thank you, again!

[Singer]

Glad to hear it, Susie. I would imagine that the emotional/mental benefits of your job, and the satisfaction it brings you and the kids, makes the exhaustion worth it...and I'm sure the exhaustion will lessen as long as you're not hurting yourself (doesn't sound like you are).

My husband recently commented that I seem much happier since I started working again. I am definitely happier. And since he works at home, I think he's just glad to finally get me out of the house.....!

[SIsForSarah]

How are you doing Susie Bee? I just spent a few days setting up my classroom, and boy am I sore (lower back). I can only imagine what it's like with a job that involves constant "set-up" (in the library). Hope you're doing well.

- Sarah

[Ginger W.]

We're eager to hear how things went today with the doctor.

As far as your neck goes, please know that you probably don't have the natural curve or lordosis in your cervical spine. It's a scoliosis thing. I have used neck traction to stay out of trouble. Now that I'm just three months post-op, I use a device recommended by Pam (txmarinemon). It is designed to cradle your neck along the base of the skull and take the weight of the head off the shoulders and neck allowing the muscles to let go of their tension. I've been amazed at how well it works for me. Here's the link . . .

http://www.protherapysupplies.com/pd...FQwxiQodNEbe1w

[Susie*Bee]

All's well...

Thanks for asking, Ginger. I'll try to quickly tell, since I've got to get ready for school...

I had new x-rays taken-- and my doctor was very patient and kind answering all of my questions and responding to my concerns. There is nothing wrong with the instrumentation and my spine looks fine. The neck problem is from arthritis. All the other aches and pains that I described to him (tenderness in the scapulars and surrounding areas, occasional sharp pains, burning ache in lower back sometimes, etc., he said may never go away. But we both agreed I was doing fine. I don't feel the need for pain meds for any of that-- more of an annoying problem than a severe pain, although my pain tolerance has always been pretty high. Anyway, I'm fine-- and it's fine for me to continue working, etc. He'll see me again in 6 months. I may add some more later, but that's roughly it.

It was a LONG day yesterday though-- the trip is long enough, and the time there, and then we stopped on the way home to run errands, etc., and ate out a steak house to celebrate our 36th anniversary which was two days earlier. When we were running errands I got a call from our oldest daughter (30) who said she'd had to have emergency laser eye surgery yesterday to repair a torn retina. When I got home I had 3 or 4 messages from my sister who said our brother was in the VA hospital with very serious bacterial pneumonia in both lungs. So it was a draining day, although I enjoyed it just fine before those other things came into play.

Now it's off to school (and Sarah, I'll try to write about that part later) and Fridays are my busiest days, class-wise. Hugs, Susie

[mmw]

Congrats on going back to work!
Man I cannot imagine feeling THAT good that working would be in my future.

[Susie*Bee]

mmw-- that's because I am a year ahead of you in recovery! You will build up more strength and endurance-- it just takes time. I'm still not where I'd like to be, but maybe I never will be. I will forge ahead thinking that I will continue with forward progress, though. If we don't push ourselves (when the time is right, but not before) then how would we ever know? You still have LOTS of healing to do. I am still healing, so think about you! Read Ginger's blog-- very enlightening and entertaining, but presents a pretty good picture of what your body is going through, the trauma it's had, etc., etc. Find her signature and her blog site is listed there... it's just a couple of posts back in this thread. Keep in mind that I had hoped to return to work a year ago-- but there was absolutely no way I could have. But now, one year later, here I am!

Ginger-- can you tell me how that neck thing works? I couldn't figure it out from what it says on the site (I'm sure it's one of those "duh" things, but...) Do you just use it when you are sleeping, during your normal day things, or what? Maybe you can just email me about it. I JUST got my digital x-rays, and I think my neck has normal lordosis. I wish I could post it. And change the ones I have in my signature to some of these. Unfortunately they are windows ones and I can't open them on my apple computer. I looked at them after school yesterday though and they are SO MUCH BETTER looking that the photos I took of my x-ray films hanging in the docs office. Imagine that! I asked my SIL who is a software engineer if there is a way for me to get these transferred to my apple computer, but haven't heard yet. Probably if there is, I wouldn't know how to do it anyway.

Sarah, Cheryl, Singer and all-- I am doing much better at school. It is still extremely tiring and I come home to rest for awhile... but I think it will work. We have been eating fairly simple meals and hubby has been doing the dishes. The kids (at school) are pretty good. And yes, I have explained to all of them about my surgery. Actually, I explained just prior to it, because I wasn't finishing the year out (so I could have a couple of extra weeks for recovery and be ready to resume my job at 3 months-- HA HA HA!) So all last year some of them were disappointed and concerned. I've explained that they can be my helpers by picking things up off the floor, etc. if something falls or gets dropped. The other day we had a tornado drill. One student noticed I didn't have my head down as much as the rest of them-- so I explained I couldn't bend it forward as much because of the surgery... Plus I sat on a short stool instead of being on the floor.

All in all I am doing great. I feel like "the little engine that could" and can see the top of the mountain-- I'll make it and it will work out. I feel satisfied that my doctor said everything looks great. Time will tell with any problems. And in some ways I am glad to know that some of this tenderness/soreness/aches and pains may always be here. That makes it so I won't be always wondering when I'll get totally recovered. I may be about there, but just with some side effects that aren't the best, but are acceptable. I have my limitations and restrictions, but they are also workable. I mentioned climbing ladders, as my PT had me work on that-- just short step-ladders, carrying a light load... but my surgeon said NO. He's had a couple of his patients fall off ladders. Oh well. I'll just have to have someone else do things like that-- or reserve it for a few select times when I don't think I'll mess up. My main worry is for the book fairs with all those heavy boxes to unpack and put in displays that I set up. But I'm working on how to get that done, asking for some help-- but not so that the powers that be think I'm not doing my job. That's the tricky part!

[Susie*Bee]

I'm adjusting!

Yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel... and I can see it! Just wanted to give some of you "hope"-- if you think it's taking forever and a day to recover. I'm doing fine still. I still get tired/worn out, but I did before the surgery too. I know how to TRY to pace myself and not overdo, but it's not always possible. I will NOT do something that I know is really bad for me... too much is at stake here! My priorities are different, and both my hubby and I know I need to rest when I get home. Other than that, it's going great.

I will now have something else to work on during this year... my youngest darling daughter (almost 23) is officially engaged now (been dating this wonderful guy for 2.5 years, and we are delighted) and wedding plans are in their beginning stages, probably for mid June. So it will be a busy year with planning and preparations-- and hopefully there will be at least a couple of weeks after school is out to do all the last minute stuff... So that is exciting news for us. (But busy news too... ) Hugs, Susie

[loves to skate]

Hi Susie,

I'm am so glad you are able to see the top of the mountain and the light at the end of the tunnel. With God, all things are possible. What fun to be able to plan a wedding. It is a real blessing when you can embrace your daughters intended. I hope you will post some wedding photos for us to see next year. Love, Sally

[Qikdraw]

So what is the latest update?

How are things going at work for you?

Well I hope.

Brad

[Susie*Bee]

Brad-- I'm still there!!! I'm doing ok-- I feel like I'm swinging on a pendulum sometimes-- some days I feel good about it all, other days I feel overwhelmed. In general it's ok though. If I had my "druthers" I'd be taking it easy at home, but this is probably good for me. And I do enjoy working with the kids. It's probably just about double the amount of work I'd like to be doing. My hubby is so supportive though and helps me rest up after I get home-- he's been doing the dishes most of the time.

I had my first colonoscopy yesterday, so that was an added joy this week. But I did have Monday afternoon off and all day yesterday, so that was a break from school. The newly engaged couple is coming here for the weekend while we explore outdoor wedding venues, etc... I'll be glad when the basics are figured out!

[debbei]

Jeez Susie,

you're having to appreciate time off work to have a colonoscopy!! I'm glad you're able to enjoy the time with the kids. Try to take it easy when you can. Not like wedding planning is a stress-free time though!