Holy Cow! I Finished a Book!

Book #36: Shiloh b Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

I'm having one of my guided reading groups read this book. I figured I should know what they're reading instead of just faking it like I did for the first 2 weeks.

Shiloh is about a boy named Marty and a dog named Shiloh. Marty finds a shy beagle one day while walking. The dog follows Marty and he wants to keep him but finds out he is Judd Travers dog. Judd is mean to people and beats his dogs. Marty doesn't want to give the dog back to Judd but his parents make him. After Shiloh runs away from Judd again, Marty decides to hid Shiloh on a hill in a pen he makes. Marty has to lie and sneak around to keep his secret from coming out.

I think this is a good book for students from 3rd grade up. You can discuss right and wrong with this book. Also, it's just a good story of a boy and his dog. **Spoiler alert** Shiloh doesn't die. I was convinced he would but he doesn't. There are also 2 more books in this series.

Internet, Clots Named Sherman and Hot Doctors

Oh lovely internet, how I've missed you!

In my last post I said my computer was sick...he still is and has actually be humanly put to sleep, I didn't want to see him suffer any more. (New computer I can't really afford but decided I needed coming Monday.) Anyway, I said that because of the computer being sick I'd use my school computer or the home computer to continue posting.

That plan didn't work so well. The family computer got sick too. The technology version of swine flu is obviously running rampant at my house. So I'm left with the prehistoric Mac my school gave me. Then the internet goes down. Ugh. I'm so glad the internet and a computer are things that are not necessities right now. Now I'm rambling. After many annoyed calls to the internet company and 4 days without it, the internet is back up and running. Hallelujah!

Let's recap my life:

I have one more week on track (for those of you who are clueless about what 'on track' means here's the low down: Many schools in Utah are overcrowded. To help with that elementaries have a track system (track A, B, C and D). That translates to at any given time only 3 tracks are on. So instead of 100 6th graders, we only have 75 at a time. That also translates to a 3 week summer for us amazing B and C trackers (Yes, my first year teaching will end July 2 and my second year teaching will begin around July 27) but I do get all of September, December and March off.) When I first got a job in a Year-Round school, I was a bit disappointed because I wouldn't get the nice long summer. Now that my first off-track time is coming, I am so stoked. Holy cow. I need a break and time to figure some things out.

My leg is getting better. I'm not in any pain anymore. But the cankle still insists on coming back everyday at about 10 a.m. and Sherman (my cankle) leaves about an hour after I've gone to bed. He's a creep.

Due to creepy Sherman, I have become very good friends with Dr. LeeAnn, Dr. Phil (the hotty who ultrasounds Sherman on a weekly basis. He's probably not really a doctor--technician is a more accurate word but Dr. Phil...get it? Dr. Phil. Ha. I laugh every time I think it.) and Nurse Lady (she's yet to give me her name). I'm pretty sure I'll be invited to their children's weddings...that's how ridiculously close we are now.

Also, due to Sherman, all my dignity is gone. It left quite quickly after Dr. Phil told me I'd have to wear a piece of paper instead of pants whenever we saw each other. So much for impressing him with how cute my pants are even after I've been teaching all day. Now I guess I'll have to rely on my wit, good personality, and special spirit. Oh, BTW, he's old and has a kid in 6th grade. I won't really be pursing Dr. Phil because of those reasons and it would just be weird to say, "Have a nice day at work. I'll see you at 4:30 so you can smear goo on my leg and tell me yet again that Sherman is still hanging around. Then you can make a remark on how big my cankle is. Ok, love ya!" Do I sound creepy now? No wonder Sherman has hung around so long, he feels at home in my creepy leg.

Pooping but No Swooping

My computer is sick...very sick. Now I have to use the ancient thing my school gave me or the ancient thing known as the family computer. Ugh.

Because of this, there will probably be no pictures for a while but I will describe my daily adventures with vivid detail until my computer returns from the computer hospital.

The family of one of my students fosters abused birds. This student has been tormenting me since day one about bringing his birds in for the class. Really, tormenting is not too strong of a word. I say, "today for guided reading you need to (insert enough work to last an hour and 15 minutes)." He says, "Have you thought about what day we can bring the birds in?" I say, "Right now you should be (insert his guided reading job)." He says, "Uh-huh. The birds?" I say, "I need you to (insert guided reading job)." He spends the rest of the day thinking about birds and folding paper. Ugh.

So finally he pestered me enough that I gave in. I was hoping he'd eventually forget about the birds because I'm not a big bird fan and maybe one day I'll tell you all about the many mishaps I've had with birds in my short life. He didn't...after 160 hours of constant nagging, he finally wore me down and I let the birds come to my class.

I expected flying, pooping, swooping crazy birds. The reality was very nice birds that can't fly but do poop on my counter. No worries, the Lysol wipes cleaned it up nicely...I hope.

I even got over my fear and let the nice bird sit on my shoulder.



It really was a fun activity even though we didn't get to writing...for real next week, I promise.

My Clot Filled Life

Oh, wow. It's been so long! I've missed you all so much. My goal with this blog originally was to get myself writing every day and to have somewhere to get all my thoughts out so I don't have to worry about them any more. Well, obviously that hasn't happened and I missed a week. Here's why...

The blood clot, accompanying medication and a full time job have made me super tired. I think I spend 10+ hours at work every day and come home, put my leg up and fall asleep...at 8:30. I'm a grandma.

Along with all that greatness, I have at least one doctor appointment a week, I have to figure out what insurance I want, go to church activities and try to have a life have prominent places in my life so inevitably, Mr. Blog has taken a back seat (much like boyfriends do when life gets insane).

Also, my hair is falling out and I'm having crazy dreams about kids in my class so forgive me for incoherent posts and missing full weeks. I'll try harder this week!

Drowning

Every day I feel like I'm drowning. I know I'm a good teacher and I know I have good ideas but I'm unable to get them out at this moment because I have so many little things to work out. Ugh.

Darling I hate to startle you but there's a Chinese family in our bathroom

I saw 500 Days of Summer tonight. I highly recommend it. It was funny, touching, sad...everything you want in a good chick flick. Plus, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is much dreamier than he was in his 3rd Rock from the Sun days.

Blubbering Idiot

I had my doctor visit Friday with the family doctor, LeeAnn Johnson (who is super. If you need a doctor, she's on Redwood and 8600-ish. Call me I'll give you the number). I give her the low down on what has happened. This is about the 96th time I've done this in the past week. As we're talking she tells me all the things that could go wrong and how I could die if I'm not careful.

This had been a really stressful week for me and it finally all caught up with me as she was talking to me and pressing on my throbbing calf and I lost it. I was crying like a 5-year-old. It was that heavy sobbing where you try to stop and your body won't let you. My shoulders were shaking, I couldn't breath, it was horrible. I was a mess and so embarrassed. I don't like to cry in front of people and here I am sobbing like a baby.

Doctor leaves, I regain my composure...for the moment. The nurse comes in to check my blood. The test is a lot like the test to check insulin levels for people with diabetes, just a little finger prick and you're done, no big deal. She pricks my finger and tries to squeeze enough blood out for the test. She can't get enough blood so she tells me she's going to try again with a poker (I'm pretty sure that is the medical term for the thing that cuts your finger) that cuts a bit deeper. I take a deep breath and tell myself I'll be fine (really, I'm not a huge wimp but it was one of those days and I had just barely stopped crying, the tears were still right there ready to come back at a moments notice) she pricks me again and no big deal. She again tries to get enough blood and can't.

So here I am. Red, watery eyes, 2 bloody middle fingers, one cankle, swollen calf, starving (I fasted just in case) and the nurse is coming back to prick my finger one more time. Tears stream down my face. I couldn't hold them back anymore. She doesn't look at my face which I'm happy about. She sees that one finger is still bleeding and tries the test one more time and finally gets enough blood. Oh, happy day. The nurse looks up, sees my tears and asks if she made me cry. I try to tell her no but I'm so choked up I can't.

After this day, I am so exhausted from teaching all day and adventures at the doctor that I fall asleep at 8pm and sleep until 8am. I'm just ready for this all to be over.

Cankle Land Update

So I've been teaching in severe pain for the entire time I've been a real teacher. The combination of first weeks of school, pain, and very strong pain medication have made for an interesting couple of weeks. All I know is that it will get better from here.

Tuesday, I went to 2 different doctor appointments. One was for blood work and to make sure the medication I've been taking is working. The other was for yet another ultrasound of my leg.
Though I waited around for all the doctors to get all their stuff together for 2 hours, the first doctor appointment was a waste of time. When I finally go to the lady that was supposed to take blood she asked if I had fasted that day. Ummm...no. No one told me I had to. So she sent me away saying she couldn't test my blood because the apple I had 6 hours ago who throw off the test. Ugh. So annoyed!

Then I head over the ER for my second ultrasound. I have a new ultrasound lady who is much friendlier than the first one but no nearly as careful or good as the first one. I had ultrasound goo all over everything when I left that place. Good news...blood clot still in the same spot and still the same size.

The ER doctor tells me that my blood levels can't be checked this early anyway (the opposite of what Dr. Tom said) but that I didn't have to fast when I got it checked (opposite of what phlebotomist said). He also tells me to get to a family doctor by Friday.

Adventures in Cankle-land

Ok, this blood clot is leading to much worse things than pain and having to walk with a limp.

I have a cankle.

If you've ever tried to take a picture of your own cankle, you know it's a difficult process. Though you can tell the left leg is obviously fatter than the right leg, you don't get the full effect of the horrid cankle. My usually boney ankle is now fat and fleshy. Even my foot is fat. It's horrid and according to the new doctor it will probably be living with me for 5-7 days. One cankle for 5-7 days. Ugh.

Why we love Ashley

Reason #84:

Her mom made her take a first day of school picture even though she's the teacher...not the student.

Emergency Room

I was so ready for Sunday last night. I was excited to go to church, to finish up school stuff, to enjoy a weekend off...None of that happened.


I woke up on Sunday unable to walk. My left leg was killing me. My leg had been hurting for the past week but I ignored it because that's what I do. It felt like a bad pulled muscle so I figured it would get better in time and I'd be fine. The whole not being able to walk thing made me think otherwise.


A bit reluctantly took a trip to the emergency room. It was 9am when I arrived. 20 minutes later I was checked in and sitting in on the squeakiest hospital bed in history while wearing a hospital gown (woot for firsts!).

Finally at about 9:45 the doctor came in (who was super hot, good thing I didn't get ready before I came in). He poked my leg with his finger and made me cry. Then I was told I needed a ultrasound on my leg just to make sure it wasn't anything serious, he thought it was just a strained muscle. Oh, silly doctor. Just learn to listen to my opinion regarding my body and you'll always be right. It wasn't a strained muscle. I was officially admitted to the hospital at 10:22 am. I had a bracelet and a hospital gown so I could show everyone my bum and severe leg pain with ease. I had made it to the top of the ER patient hierarchy.

This is about the time my mom showed up. We sat and watched reruns of America's Best Dance Crew, some show about making over your basement and many, many commercials. Finally Dr. Tom (yes, that's how he introduced himself. Not Dr. Baker, Dr. Tom) came in to let me know we were waiting for the Radiologist on call to get there. Thanks for the heads up, Dr. Tom, I've only been sitting here taking pictures of my feet for an hour. Good thing you're so cute.

Radiologist shows up. She goobers my leg with the ultrasound jelly, it's surprisingly warm. I am happy, until she starts. Holy torture of all medical torture. Not that it hurt when she started at my hip but it tickled so bad and I didn't want to laugh and look like an idiot so I was biting my lip, thinking of sad things, pinching myself...anything to not laugh in the middle of an ultrasound. Then she gets to my calf and the real torture begins. I have never wanted to punch someone in the face as much as I wanted to punch this lovely at that moment. Let me give you a pain scale. 1 is swinging in a hammock, drinking lemonade while on vacation in Jamaica. 5 is getting punched in the face by a dying teacher. 10 is getting punched in the face while giving birth to a 16 pound baby without an epidural. This pain was about an 8 which translates to a Radiologist giving your blood clotted calf a shiatsu massage.

That's right, she found a blood clot, just like I thought. Maybe I should be a doctor on weekends. So I was put on blood thinners and sent on my way. Hallelujah I didn't have to stay at the hospital! My mom was convinced I'd have to. So inbetween taking pictures of my feet and watching America's Best Dance Crew, I was plotting an elaborate escape plan so I could go to school on Monday (sub plans are more difficult than just teaching through the pain!)

My Slightly White Trash Weekend Version 2.0

I went to a demolition derby today with my dad and brother. It was a great time but I remember them being a lot trashier and a lot louder. Maybe, since I spend so much time at white trash event, I have stopped seeing the trashiness...or I am white trash. Either way, not as trashy as they used to be. You'd tell me if I was white trash, right?

Driving to the derby. This is one of a handful of pictures I have of Ethan with a normal, cute boy smile. It only took 3 tries.

Ethan watching the derby.

At this point a demolition derby car almost took my life. By almost, I mean this car slammed into the cement barrier about 20 feet from me. So, obviously I almost died.

The 16 year old taking tickets for this bouncy slide was too busy making out with his girlfriend to notice Ethan went on the slide 10 times without paying once.

Curled Hair + Sweat + Dirt + White Trashy Activities = Crazy cat lady hair and a disgusting face.

Dream

I had this crazy dream last night and had to write it down so I wouldn't forget it and so all you can read about it.

In this dream I'm going camping with my mom, grandpa and one of my sisters. My sister and I pull up to the camp site and my grandpa and mom are already there.

We get out of the car and right in front of us is a giant tree, we're talking 30-40 feet tall. The odd thing about this tree is that it is only a trunk, no branches or leaves. Another odd thing is that my grandpa has turned it into a generator.

Now if you have a huge generator, what obvious things would you bring camping? That's right, a Ferris wheel, the biggest one you've ever seen, and another carnival ride (2 seats, spins, almost dumps you out...).

My sister and I decide to ride the other ride because we've done Ferris wheels before. As we're about to get on the ride, my grandpa shows me a motor he's made. It's made of shiny, silver metal and kind of heavy for it's size. When you turn it on the propeller at the front twirls around really fast. I decide I like it a lot and want to look at it more while on the ride. I turn the motor on and my sister and I get on the ride.

We go for a while then the ride almost dumps me out of my seat so I let go of the motor and grab onto the seat so I don't fall out. Then I realize the motor is going to crash to the earth and break if I don't grab it. The only trouble is the spinning propeller is close to me and the part I was holding is away from me so if I grab it, the motor will cut off my fingers.

I decide to try to kick it to turn it around so I can grab it. This plan works but the motor also cuts the back of my legs.

The ride stops and we get off. I'm a bit in shock because both legs have huge gashes in them. I walk over to my mom and tell her to look at them. The cuts go through the muscle but aren't bleeding. My mom says that because there's no blood I don't need to worry about them and they'll heal fine. I'm thinking I need stitches because the wounds are huge and there's no way they're going to heal. My last thought is what my students are going to say when I come to school with gaping wounds on my legs.

It was a quite frightening dream for me. I was very worried about my legs. I was also mad at my mom for not realizing how severe my injures were.

On a brighter note, I made it through one week of school! Yeah team Miss Jaeger!

August Videos

This video can't be put on my blog but seriously take the time, go to Youtube and watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0
I'm not saying I'm getting married any time soon but, do you think when I do the temple will make an exception and let us do this?