Monday was so awesome...I came walking into Ruskin (THANK YOU Mr. Ryerson for making the front parking lot more accessible to traveling teachers because the thought of having to deal with that heavy gate on the back parking lot right now is more than I could have handled). So anyways, I come walking into Ruskin and the reaction I got from my fellow co-workers you would have thought I was on a "shock and awe" campaign. It was lovely being welcomed back by the staff as I made my way to the band room. That's when the real celebration began. The kids came running at me from all directions "MISS STOUT!!! MISS STOUT!!!" "YOU'RE BACK! YOU'RE BACK!" "Oh my God I'm so glad to see you!!!" You should have seen me as they came running towards me, I had a huge smile on my face but my hands up saying "Easy...easy...easy!!" There's nothing better, as a teacher, than being swept up into a bear hug by one of your students and spun around because they're so happy to see you. I think I made everyone late to class that morning cause they were all coming out into the hall to welcome me back. :) Very nice.
On Tuesday I was so exhausted I had at least 5 people tell me that I needed to go home. Ha! You know it's true when people you work with (including administrators) tell you to go home. SO, knowing that I was getting filled Tuesday evening (up to 150cc on each side thank you very much) and knowing how badly that hurt the last time, I decided to take Wednesday off. What a good idea. Oy that filling up of the expanders hurts like a son of a b!tch. I remember them telling me that the filling up of the exanders would make my back hurt but I really didn't put it all together until last Tuesday evening. MAN did my back hurt that night. Whoo! Damn experience made me cry, which just wigged Tim out, so I had to get it under control...thank goodness for pain pills. Sheesh!What I figured out, for those of you who are wondering, is that it makes total sense for your back to hurt after getting expanded. See, they put the tissue expanders *under* the chest muscle so then when they fill you up each week not only is the tissue getting expanded BUT it's also expanding muscle and pulling on that band of muscle that wraps around your whole chest area. Holy Moly, it's quite the experience. I'll be taking next Wednesday off because they scheduled me for Tuesday afternoon again, but I'm going to try to get them to schedule it from now on on Friday's so I can recover over the weekends instead of having to take a day of from school each week for however long this is going to take.
Thursday I returned with a bang and made it through the day with style, then returned that evening for our 8th/9th grade Choir and Orchestra concert. Since I was not doing any conducting (can't wave my arms like that just yet) I got to be the MC, and that was way fun. Ms. Davis (our principal) welcomed everyone to the concert then turned the mic over to me where I welcomed everyone as well and then talked a little bit about me telling the crowd that if they hadn't gotten the memo the first time I've been battling breast cancer since May, and that as of October 15th I am cancer free...thunderous applause followed and I had to work very hard to *not* tear up. The concert went just as well as could be expected and I was worn out by the end.Friday came and went in a blur (thank god for Friday's and NO heels!) where I ended my week with having a wine afternoon with my friend and colleague Donna. Love having wine with Donna and of course the coffee that comes after :)
SO glad it's the weekend, though. Gonna get outta this place for the day and head to Lawrence to see the fam. Sent thank you notes out earlier in the week and wrote a special note to my nephew Thomas which apparently upset him because he's been so concerned about me. What a cutie! He was so cute in the hospital, *such* a look of concern on his face. So I'm going to head to Lawrence while Tim continues to work on the floor and deer hunt. :)
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