"Running as Fast as I Can"

Oct 18, 2011 17:35

(NOTE: Almost my entire entry that follows is recorded here, in a voice post. I am long-winded, so the voice post does lack the last few sentences, which are available in written form at the end of my entry.)

Leave a comment

wolfden October 20 2011, 15:56:29 UTC
I was so close to finishing college the first time. I was on track to finish my original major in 3 years (I had college credits from high school and took summer classes). Midway into my second year I decided that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life doing that and switched majors. I loved my new major but then I developed kidney stones and ended up having to leave my classes before I finished. Then I tried to formulate a plan to go back, and completed one semester but it really wasn't working with everything else going on in my life at the time and ended up just dropping out and moving away. SO, I technically have more credits than I needed to graduate just not enough in any one subject area. I looked into going back 2 times and in the end haven't done so.

I think at this point teaching is in transition. I am hoping that it's going to get better again. My teachers were important to me too. My daughter has been lucky with her teachers so far - she's had many that gave above and beyond. I keep hoping that people will remember the difficult task our teachers have and stop vilifying them. I also wish this whole teaching to the test thing would go away.

We did have a pretty difficult time last year. On Halloween last year, my husband's horse lost her feet and fell right over sideways on him. It was one of those bizarre things, they weren't moving too fast, there was no crazy stop and turn, she just went flop, right over on her side. His leg was directly underneath her when she fell. It was a pretty traumatic injury. He was in the hospital for 5 days when it first happened, then out a week then back for a second surgery. He couldn't walk or drive from then until March. My one friend came and got my daughter and my mom and stayed with them while he was at the hospital. Other friends brought my car to the hospital (I went with him in ambulance) and brought me clothes and food and other necessities. My friend's daughter came every week and took the trash out for me ( we have a very long gravel driveway). Another friend came to NC from NY to stay with my mom and daughter when he had his second surgery. When ever I had to scramble for help, it seemed like someone was there. We had just moved to this house in June, I didn't really have a support system in place here. But my friends that were farther away drove here, and my closer friends really stepped up to help. At one point, I had to call a neighbor I had only met briefly because I really needed a ride to get my daughter home from school and I knew her daughter went to the same school. She set it up for my daughter to ride home with her daughter whenever I needed it.

The last year was rough for us but definitely better now.

Reply

similiesslip October 23 2011, 18:18:58 UTC
Wow, that does sound very difficult and scary! And just arranging all the rides and who does what and wondering how the surgeries will turn out is hard.

I'm so glad things are better now. Was he able to regain the full use of his legs? Was your horse ok?

One of my friends was framing a roof and fell off last week. They don't think he will regain the use of that arm. Sometimes surgeries change us forever. I sure hope that wasn't the case for your husband.

I'm really glad you are now on the other side.

Reply

wolfden October 24 2011, 03:40:39 UTC
Thanks.

He likes to say that the horse was fine because he broke her fall. She was fine. This icon is an old one of them right after we'd purchased her.

He mostly has full use of his leg - he still really can't run. The foot will be fused forever and it definitely alters his gait a bit. He's back to riding really well though.

They're going to pull his screws out on November 16th. Hopefully, if that goes as planned, he'll be happier. A few of the screws in his foot are positioned so that you can feel them under the skin and they rub sometimes on his shoes/boots/etc.

I was terrified when he had those first surgeries. We were in trauma and they couldn't find the pulse in his foot, they were talking about if they'd be able to save the foot and he was worried about how long before he could ride.

Reply


Leave a comment

Up