I know what you’re thinking…..finally, a new post!

And what a post it will be. I feel like I’m being pulled in 6 different directions at once, so who knows where this will actually go, or even if I will get to finish the post. That all depends on M’s nap. So onto the item weighing most heavily on my mind:

MISS M and her EARS
Apparently, her ear infection from what–4 weeks ago, hasn’t really gone away. Yesterday, when I went to pick her up, she had a fever of 102, out of the blue, and was just not her usual self. We went to the docs (we were sched for a recheck Friday) and he gave us more antibiotic and a card to the Midwest Ear Institute. You know what that means–TUBES. Ok, I don’t know that for sure, but what else could they possibly do there? Actually I’m hopeful there may be something else they can do, but I’m being a realist. So L stayed home this morning, I left work at 11am and am home for the rest of the day. M’s down for a nap as I type.

One thing I learned this morning–Augmenten may lose potency overnight if left unrefrigerated. And the pharmacist can’t just “exchange” lame drugs for good ones, you have to call your doc and they have to call in a new Rx. Who knew?

ME and my NERVE
My sciatic nerve that is, you know, the one’s that been pinched for about 6 weeks? Yeah, that one. Well, since the last injection did nothing, I decided to call a chiropractor. I think I may have found the answer to my pain! After an evaluation, it turns out that “I’m out of alignment” (catch phrase, I know) to the point where one hip is ONE INCH lower than the other. Which creates pressure on my lowest lumbar, which popped the disc out, which is pressing on the nerve. Make sense? Add a little osteoarthritis into the mix, and you have my sorry limping self. So I went Monday for my first “adjustment”, and I have to say that while I’m not cured, it doesn’t feel nearly as bad. So that’s cool. And what’s cooler? My insurance pays for it.

THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving was fabulous. Four days of visiting with family and eating and not going to work and shopping….what could be bad about that??? M was a trooper, ear infection and all. She slept well, ate well, and generally adjusted to the 15-20 people we were visiting with at assorted times throughout the weekend. Loved it.

My JOB
The actual classroom part of it? Just peachy keen. The children keep it real for me, you know? AND I made a fabulous discovery. If you have access to the trinomial cube and the decanomial square, take the square of 10 and place it on the trinomial. Yes, it’s a square of 100. Or something like that. I’ve made many correlations over the years between materials, but that was new one for me today. Now I just need our elementary teacher to explain it to me.

The other part of my job? The one with the grown-ups? Is weird and awkward and it sucks. But I’m trying to ignore those parts of it.

Weird Stalked Tendencies
Ever look at the referral page on sitemeter to see where people found your blog? I do–ALL THE TIME. I’m a little obsessed. Anyway, this blog turns up on the weirdest Google searches. Like people obviously searching for things like “Mitten clips, sears” (mitten clips through sears, I assume) or “Christmas Plaid, dresses” or “persistent ear infections” somehow manage to find their way into my blog. Very, very, weird indeed. The weirdest (to me) is when you get back say, 4,357 results from a search, and my blog is say, result #1, 457. Does anyone really click through that many pages of a search? Never in my life have I ever gone past page three, I don’t think.

More Friday after our adventure at the ear doctors…..

Could I make this up??

Again, the names have been changed to protect the insane.

After I made my report to the school board almost two weeks ago, some time was spent considering what to do about Sybil. The conslusion was that she needs to do some professional development, and while she’s doing that, I’ll be “the teacher”. It’s now my responsibilty to get the environment prepared for our spring evaluation, to give lessons, etc. Not a big deal if it was expressed to me now that it was a permenant thing. But it’s not. It’s being spun as “Sybil will be back when she’s completing this course of independent study’. Why, Oh Why? I ask.

Why, if she’s coming back into the classroom after the first of the year did she CLEAR OUT HER PERSONAL BELONGINGS this weekend?

Why, if she’s coming back into the classroom after the first of the year, if her ass is really on the line did she TAKE TWO PERSONAL DAYS THIS WEEK SO THAT SHE’S OFF UNTIL MONDAY OF NEXT WEEK?

Why, if she’s coming back into the classroom after the first of the year did she LEAVE ME A HALF-ASSED LESSON PLAN FOR OUR THANKSGIVING FEAST?

Why? Because no one really thinks she sticking around. But we are putting on a charade so we don’t get sued. Isn’t that grand?

Why am I playing along?? I hate to say that I am playing along, but as a mature adult and mother of one, my answer is simple. To quote a late-ninties rap song, “It’s all about the benjamins, baby.”

Morally apprehensible, but hey, it puts food on the table. And the $$ I’m making for the amount I’m working is better than what I’d make at most places (i.e. non-profit preschools or private day cares).

So it’s one day at a time. A letter went home today about this, so we’ll see if the parents say anything or care. I’m a familiar face, so hopefully that’ll suffice. Any serious issues and I’m referring them to the governing body.

The title of this post is fitting, yes?

Situation: exactly the same

Yes, it seems that I’m in the percentage of people that the “select nerve block” doesn’t really help. He found the nerve (when he touched it I felt it down to my toes), applied medication, and um, nothing happened. I mean, the local numbness stayed for about an hour. After that? Not really any different. Except the injection site was sore. Nice, huh? Next in line at the doc’s office is outpatient surgery (to “shave” a little of the disk material that’s hitting the nerve and causing pain). Not ready for that. So I’m exploring other options, like PT or a chiropractor or something. I’ve never been to a chiropractor, but certainly NOT getting cut open can’t hurt as badly as getting cut open.

It other things, M seems have recovered from her cold and is learning words left and right. In a week, she’s started using “jacket”, “cracker”, “keys”, and “stars”. Rather an eclectic mix of nouns, but I’ll take them!! Her last two canine teeth (bottom) are almost in. Once they are done, then we *should* have a break before her last set of molars. How is it that she’s got all of her teeth? A year ago she was completely toothless.

The working world drama is still turning…Sybil has been sick for two days, so today was her first day back. Everything “seemed” normal. We know it’s not. Now we are just waiting for her to go on another bender, so to speak. I’ll be sure to transcribe as much of the drama to the blogosphere as possible….