Entry #424619, added on 12-09-06 @ 5:36 pm EST
Entry Access Restriction: None.
Kick us when we’re down. Might as well, we’ll get up twice as strong that way.
These last two weeks have not faired so well for me. On Sunday, April 23rd, I fell and broke my hip. Nothing to brag about, wish I could say I did it doing something exciting like: I fell off an elephant while on safari in deepest, darkest San Diego, or there was a litter of kittens in the middle of the street about to be splattered by a rough cement mixer barreling through our quiet neighborhood—of course I miraculously saved them all with just a slight fracture to show for it. Even bowling would seem like a better story. But alas, I was just being klutzy. I tripped; I fell and I couldn’t get up. Fortunately I was in my own kitchen, and more so, my daughter was sitting right there.
I love firemen; they are all so handsome, friendly and helpful. My house has an alarm system and at one time a faulty heat detector linked to it. Those cute firemen came regularly even though I’d call the alarm company and try to get them to un-dispatch the them. “Just fixin’ dinner, as usual, sorry.”
Oh, the firemen are still cute, but it's just not the same looking up at them from ground zero. I was in pain! (I was thankful, at least, that the house was somewhat cleaned up.) The ambulance came, they miraculously got me on a gurney with relative ease, and I rode in my red and white coach (sans sirens) to emergency.
I was taken in for surgery the next afternoon. I felt so much better when I recovered from the anesthesia. My hip was set in straight and I now have a lot of extra hardware, pins and plates, nuts and bolts.
The good news is that the doc said my bones are strong and they is no underlying culprit, like tumors or osteoporosis, that facilitated the break. I just happened to hit at just the right angle.
Anyway, I’ve come a long way. I am using crutches and a walker, but I am progressing so quickly in this recovery. I don’t have a cast, and I can already place a little weight on the foot down there. I can dress and shower and do almost everything by myself now. I just can’t get that one sock on yet. It’s just a matter of days.
Now for the kicker.
Today I got a phone call from my boss, the principal at the school I’ve been employed at for the past ten years. As of next year, they are cutting my hours from full time to three. I’m a TA, but my specialty is as a media technician. I am in control of and work only in the computer lab.
The school was already down to only three TAs. The other two work the classrooms and the yard. I’ve strictly been in the lab/library. Not only are they cutting the hours and taking away the lab, they are cutting the number of TAs to ONE. I have the seniority, I get to make the decision, do I want to keep the job?
This is a charming school that all my children attended (two whom are out of high school, the other a close third). As a parent, I was there all the time, sat on every decision making council. Did PTA, did all the field trips. I volunteered for everything. I knew and loved all the teachers and the staff (still do!). Eventually I was offered the position to run the newly established 20 station computer lab. Wow, how fun it’s been. I soon got a team of students together and we designed and published the monthly school newsletter, The Dolphin Wave. Until this month, May, because of the accident, I had never missed getting an issue out on time. I always saw to it the newsletter was entertaining and informative to both parents and students. Depending on the principal, the publication has been an 18 to 20 page endeavor. Those were the days. Now it’s down to about three pages. This principal hasn’t much to offer. She’s brief and concise (fills about half a page). I have carried on the tradition of “Dear Dolly” an advice column for the kids via the school cat, Dolly. I guess my newsletter/Dolly days are over. Dolly was the highlight of the newsletter. The kids will miss it. I’ll miss it. Maybe I can find it in my heart to volunteer the time.
As of right now, I’ll keep the position till something us comes up. I do want to be a librarian, but an MLA is a long way away. I’ll try to get in as a library aide at another school close by and then wait for the position to open back up at my school.
It’s two blocks away. I walk to work, it’s wonderful.
Oh well. When God closes a door, he opens a window somewhere.
|
© Copyright 2006 Quizmo LaGrande (UN: quizmo at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Quizmo LaGrande has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
|
Log In To Leave Feedback
Static Items
Books
Forums
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
