This is a very short post, but I had to share this chuckle!
As all teacher’s know, Spring Break is a much awaited time! Finally we get a few days to just relax!
Yesterday, I had a grade 5 student come into my classroom and say: “Ahhh…. Mrs. D, this week is killing me!” When I asked the student: “Why?”, the student replied: “Because I am done with school. It’s almost Spring Break!”
Oh hunny, if only you knew…. if only you knew…
So, yesterday I went to the chiropractor for my weekly visit. I didn’t mention anything to her about how my week had gone as far as my bones and problems. She was so excited telling me about the school her son had managed to get into with an amazing teacher and a sport’s program that allows her son the extra movement he needs.
Then she got to my neck, shoulders, and ribs, and her face dropped. She asked me how my week had been. And I had to tell her that my rib had been popping significantly more than usual, possibly more than ever, and that I had been waking up at 4 in the morning without fail, even though I would go to feel without feeling stressed or thinking of anything. Let’s just say, I’ve never seen someone look at me with such concern (aside from my mom of course).
Sorry for the blurs on this picture, but there was honestly no better picture that described my chiropractor’s look yesterday.
The chiropractor uses a tool she calls the “Thumper”. It basically gives a little kick to areas where smaller bones exist and it helps to put the little bones in place. I have NEVER had her use it on my ribs before, but it was bad enough that she did. In fact, she continued to comment how even my neck looked tighter and how everything was (and really get this) WORSE than the FIRST time I ever walked in her clinic! Woah.
So she asked me about acupuncture. To be honest, I never thought I would ever do acupuncture. The thought of having tonnes of needles in me just is not a vision I wanted to live. But my chiropractor recommended acupuncture and upon consideration, I agreed if it would help. So instead of booking a later appointment, she went next door and arranged for an appointment right then. Talk about being serious!
The acupuncturist went through everything in great detail, expressing that it is NOT PAINFUL, but would feel–if anything–like a mosquito bite initially and then should feel like nothing. She also explained some precautionary things, but it made total sense to me. Key point? Don’t move when the needles are in you! Makes total sense, eh?
So we got to the process. She put needles in my neck, my shoulders, my back, and my ankles. To be quite honest, I hardly felt most of them. The ones I felt the most were in my ankles, but I have incredibly non-fat feet. They are very thin and boney. And even so, only the one in my ankle seemed to bother me a little, the other ones were no big deal.
These needles are the same width as a piece of hair!! So tiny!
And my acupuncturist? Amazing. She continued to ask if I was ok, if everything felt ok, if I ever felt sick, etc… She was there every step of the way and made me feel like I was in amazing good hands.
I basically laid there, face down, breathing and relaxing. She even encouraged sleeping! But my face was fairly squished in the bed. I’m assuming the massage bed was fairly new because the material around where your face goes was pretty stiff. So no sleeping, but I was able to relax with a heat lamp making sure I was warm. She even took great deal afterwards to massage the right places after she removed the needles (painless) and makes sure you get up slowly and carefully to make sure your body is handling the process properly.
Basically the position I was in for the 20-30 minutes. I think I may line it with something more “cushy” next time.
Boy did I feel tired afterward! And I slept like a baby last night!
It’s something I’ve been so scared of for so long, and yet it was not painful at all and helped me so much. If you have any problems (I was treated for stress and lack of sleep), you should definitely try it. It’s so worth it. Just watch that the clinic you go to is sanitary, they use new needles each time, and the person knows what they’re doing and can answer any questions that you have.
Have you ever tried acupuncture before? What were your thoughts?
Teachers, it’s almost that time. And for some of you, it may be that time. It’s almost the end of the year!
You would think that since there is little to be done at the end of the year (once you get the final grading done and report cards ready), it would be an easy finish. NOPE.
There seems to be this underlying rule that the kids climb a hill of good behaviour throughout the year, and then manage to slide down the other side in the last few weeks. I mean seriously, we’re going until the VERY END of June. Vacation should start right now. Plus, for many who don’t know, teachers work does not stop when the kids stop. We have a “work week” that we must attend the week after (and also the week before school starts for the kids), plus quite often we have professional development or school of our own to do throughout the summer. You even have planning to do to get ready for the next year. It’s not as glorious as it all sounds.
My biggest stress this week came from our PATs. We have one more to go on Monday, but for some reason, my 3 students that came during the year were not registered for the PATs. And so, I was sent too few. This is a huge deal. It’s illegal to photocopy them, I can’t just have one kid not write a PAT, it’s just bad.
Thankfully, a colleague in our school sensed my problem (principal has been away for PD out of country) and took it upon herself to contact the head of testing in our province. Due to the time pressure, we were granted permission to make copies of the test for the sole reason that the tests would be over by the time they couriered us extra tests. Talk about a HUGE weight off my shoulder. I’m so thankful to her for that!
My students don’t want to be taking tests. Despite how many times we review in class, they don’t want to study. They’re done for the year before I’m ready for them to be. But you just gotta do what you gotta do!
Teachers, if you’re struggling with that end of the year, kids going crazy too early thing, I’m with you. I feel your pain. But just remember the work, the passion, the patience and discipline you’ve provided these kids with over the year. The dedication you had/have to their learning, the progress you’ve seen. Celebrate those things. You’ve invested a large amount of your life in the past year to these kids and you deserve to celebrate along with them.
Have a good end of the year, and an awesome summer! Take a vacation with the time you have or at least get away from everyday life and relax. You deserve it!
I used to accredit myself with being very patient. And in fact, this may have been true. I don’t know whether it’s been the load on my plate, or what it may have been, but I’ve noticed that my patience has severely gone out the window.
Unfortunately, this has affected my dogs. I expect them to always act properly, but I have to realize, three of them are still puppies. When I have extra work that I bring home, they’re the ones who don’t get that personal time with me. Especially since I’ve been preparing for my provincial evaluation… the stress has been high.
Yesterday, my mom flew in. She’s staying at my sister’s house, and so I spent Friday night with them. I had my husband bring our dogs yesterday to meet her, and she wanted to babysit two of them. Can you imagine five high energy (although little) dogs meeting new people in a strange place? I warned her it would be chaos. But then it struck me: My mother’s patience was endless.
She didn’t care if they made a little mess, she didn’t care if they were running from end-to-end of the house, jumping on the couches, going crazy. She just loved them anyways. Not that I don’t love my dogs, don’t get me wrong. But when I’m stressed, some of those things really frustrate me. And yet here’s my mother, who could be having a relaxing vacation at my mother’s house, who instead chose to take on care of some dogs who will add work to her plate. I love my mom.
She has been through so much her entire life, and yet she continues to take each situation on with as much patience as I can imagine. She is filled with nothing but love. And what a wake-up call. I don’t have my patience like that anymore. I’ve lost it. She’s what I need to be like. She’s the one I look up to.
Everybody needs someone in their lives to look up to and for me, that can be my mom. She’s a strong woman, taking multiple phone calls a day from home to help my step-dad with my brothers since he is taking full-time care of them for the week she is here, something he has not done in a very long time since he usually works away. She deals with the homework, remembering where she puts everything when they can’t find it, just dealing with everything they need while taking care of my sister and me, cooking for us, cleaning, and then to love my dogs the way she does. She’s amazing. And it’s so true, sometimes you just need to sit back and watch a mom handle things. You can learn a lot from the very women who helped to raise you. Whether it’s a grandmother, a step-mother, a mother, an aunt, whoever it may be. Learn from the ones who first loved you, who God gave you to as a present, and pass that love on to others.
Calm in Christ and Fitness 