It has been almost a full month since my last post. The last few weeks have been pretty tough. The good news is that I am back to teaching. Everyone says they can tell a change in my demeanor. Apparently I'm still an ass, but now I'm one with a smile.
It has taken me a little while to get my teaching legs under me again. I have had to redo most of everything, every quiz, test, worksheet or other assignment. My predecessor as it turns out was still using leftovers from the old textbook which I don't find fair for students. I give them tons of extras and I use real naked people whenever possible. Last time I checked EMS doesn't transport line art and corny diagrams...and if all works out well, we never see skin and muscle peeled back to reveal internal organs or bones.
With all that has had to be rebooted, so far teaching has not opened up a whole lot of time. The other time gobbler has been illness. Yesterday was the first time in three weeks where I could say I felt...better. Illness combined with weather added to teaching in a classroom for eleven hours a day equals slow recovery.
Another downer was the loss of one of my followers. As you may recall, several weeks ago Sarah Hartman became my seventh official follower, stats say I unofficially have about 30, and her icon is still there. Her funeral was held last week. Two Saturdays ago her life support was turned off after confirmation only her brainstem was still active.
I had mentioned Sarah was a warrior and a fighter, she was just that. We shared more than a few common elements in our history. I toured the country as a dancer and she worked in Vegas. I think I was one of the few people at school/work that could see the real her underneath all the masks she wore. After surviving more than a year of medical trials, it would be Tylenol toxicity that would take her life. It took Sarah less than three days to go from a recently engaged graduate with a new job to full life support. Tylenol can be some nasty stuff all by itself. Our best guess is that the Tylenol was potentiated by one of her other medications to the level of toxicity which shutdown her liver and other organs. Life support was maintained an extra day so that Sarah's kidneys could save two other renal patients.
I have a few commitments to catch up on. First is getting back in touch with writing. I have been pretty burnt since Nano, they should really move that sucker away from all the holidays, leaving my directorship, and getting the new year started. First up will be my return to the blogosphere with more gusto and probably a whole new look. Next, finishing up the website for one of my local writing groups, it was a long overdue rehab and it has taken much longer than expected for me to finish it. Hey, let's see you type code on cold meds, even herbal ones. Last but not least, I need to do some real writing again. Some of the voices in my head don't want to live there anymore.
Until next time...
JOE
