This is not an oh, poor pitiful me post, but you have to know the events of the past month to understand the joy to the ending of my day today.
On January 20 of this year, the day before my 61st birthday, my knee went out on me. I was leaving school for the day, it went completely out, and I could not walk.
I went to the doctor that week and received a cortisone shot. That day, I was in so much pain, and I became discouraged because I thought it was supposed to help. My students were not well behaved, and I lost it on a few of them. Toward the end of the day, one of my students saw me sitting on the bench outside my room, clearly defeated.
She says, "Here I made you something."
It was a paper butterfly, and it was in that moment that I broke down. The pain, the behavior, and the small, sweet gesture just did me in.
That weekend I came down with the flu and was out of commission for days. I went back to school too early because you know, that's just what teachers do. I had a chronic cough for what seemed like forever, and I lost my voice.
I started therapy and after a few sessions, I was making good progress. I thought, "Ok, we're turning a corner here. I can do this!"
Then last Wednesday, I developed bursitis, and I have been in pain since.
Today, the same student handed me a piece of paper and walked off. After I read it, she came back up to my desk, and said, "The best part of that was watching your face when you read it. You went from (insert serious facet) to this (insert smiley face.) and that just made me smile." And she skipped back to her seat.
What a joyful ending to my day and a discouraging month!
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Isn't it amazing how students just know? And are there for you as much as you are there for them? This made me smile. I appreciate your context, and your honestly.
ReplyDeleteStudents do not always know their impact on our lives. I am happy that student was able to witness your reaction to her note. The little things mean the most. I wrote about something similar. Thank you for sharing. These moments are important to memorialize.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gift from a concerned student! It's hard when our bodies betray us by not working correctly. And especially difficult for classroom teachers. I empathize with your pain, having experienced knee pain, back pain, hip pain, and foot pain over the past 15 years. But there's hope for your issues. I am currently almost pain free and back to walking 1.5 - 2 miles most days. Hang in there, my friend!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic treat to get from a student! These are the moments we treasure. All of the love you have poured into your students came back to you. Hope you are on the mend.
ReplyDeleteTruly a joyful ending! Wishing you some relief and recovery.
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious gem of a girl! And I hope you find the best treatment for your knee. I'm 'almost' thinking about a knee replacement.
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