A bit bummed! Week was good though.

Today will be a long day.  I have a nephew who is going through his 4th surgery on repairing leakage on his intestine this week.  He is getting weaker with each passing day.  It does not sound good.

This week was my first week back at school and teaching.  It was an amazing week, my students from last year made so much progress.   I am so glad that I came back to see the gains made by my students.

I have one student who had not been in a regular class before last year.  I was able to get him into a class for an hour a day by the end of last year.  We had many issues to get him settled down.  For the class field trip last year, it was a ferry trip to Sitka.  We debated whether to send him but we did with a para and his Grandmother went as well.  He made the whole trip and learned a lot about SE Alaska, his classmates and about himself too.  This year, that same student spent the entire week in a regular ed class and did the work of the regular ed students.  It is very rare to see that type of transition take place. I screwed up on his paperwork last spring and he started school without a bus picking him up.  I called about transportation and was told I did not put transportation on his IEP.   That meant I had to take him home in my car, which I did.  It turned out great because I was able to tell his mom and stepdad about the first day of being in the class all day and doing regular ed work.  they were elated as was I.

If I have to leave here to deal with situations I actually can this year because my year is starting off so well.  Last year, I was unable to visit my dying sister or attend her funeral because my year was so crazy at the start.  This year is like a regular year and it is starting off in such a reasonable way that I am pleased and amazed.

I am hoping that my nephew makes it through this surgery and I will be able to see him and help him recuperate in a couple of weeks.  I am hoping beyond all hope that I do not have to attend a funeral instead.

If we are born, we will die - that is life.  Live your life so that at the end you are satisfied with the choices you made.  I know Mike lived a very satisfied life.  We have been planning a winter trip to the desert to camp out and explore.  I am hoping we will make that trip this winter.  I will also add that I have shed tears about this one.  He is almost like my son (I have a couple of others in this area as well.)
so I spent last night regretting I did not fly out this past Tuesday or Wednesday to spend time with him. I will also add that it was impossible to have flown out because of my job and the need for me to be around the first week.  I had some critical things happen with kids and family this past week which needed my attention or they would have created problems for the entire year.  The surgery went well and he should be ok.I am very reiieved.