Day by Day

I wish I could talk more about some things that happen at work, but I am not comfortable with that on-line.  I think I will keep notes (I've already lost out on 3 years of not doing it)in a log because someday the story of how hard it is to be a teenager should come out-with no names but anonymous stories. I work in one of the best school districts in terms of financial stability and social level, but sad human circumstances will find people, no matter where they live or what they have.  Although I can't talk about things here, trust me, if you know a teenager-give them all the support you can.  It's really hard to be a teenager!

Patience has not always been my forte....actually lack of it has been quite my "strength" at times in my life....my husband will support me on this one.  I think to my credit, I have learned to have an extreme amount of patience with my own children and at work it is an absolute necessity.  Within ten minutes I could have a student swearing in my office and then talk to their parent (apple doesn't fall from the tree-great expression)screaming and swearing at me on the phone, so patience is a necessity there. So, I've been analyzing this patience thing this week.....  When we are children (unless it is by nature that you were born with it), we don't have much patience.  We want what we want and we want it now and most of the time the reason we get frustrated is that for some reason (we can't verbalize at a young age, we can't drive before 16, we can't work until 16, we have to sit in school all day, our parents say no to us etc.)we can't physica...

Now Dad.....given that you took the taxi cab home three days after having double knee surgery.....you must have known you would be the topic of my blog for a few entries....... I walked into the hospital last night and Dad is sitting on the side of his bed...he curled his hands into fists and said very quietly, "I'm going to kill some of the people who work here." Great-you're making friends with the staff I see. To Dad's credit....he was frustrated that they didn't have his blankets on him-he had been cold all day.  He did have blankets there, but I knew how he felt.  The nurses' are there to do their job, but they see a lot of patients and they can't always do exactly what you want them to do for you (I know from last Spring). Hang on Dad.....you'll be home and independent before you know it.......

I could make this a serious post about how strong Tracey is because I truly have not known another person to be as strong as she is; however, I think I will go with the humorous side about her strength of being cautious...... We went to visit Dad in the hospital.  He wanted me to bring his bag and his medicine.  I argued a bit with him on the phone about the medicine because I know the nurses give you the medicine you need.  They always ask what medicines you are on before you go into the hospital.  But I knew I was losing that argument with the determined old man, so I figured I would bring them and ask the nurse before giving them to him.  Tracey was not happy about this at all.  She too knows that Dad can get very determined when he is on pain medication, and he doesn't always see reality as it is.  I basically told her not to shoot the messenger-me. As we approached the floor Dad was on, Tracey stopped me and said, "Let me check that bag....

I went to visit Dad at his house before he went in for surgery the next day.  I walked into one of his rooms and saw his side view car mirror with cracks in it, laying on a chair.  I picked it up and said, "Dad what happened with this?" He laughed and said, "I was hoping you wouldn't see that."  Then he explained that he backed into his carport the other night, which he usually doesn't do, and hit a post with the mirror; the whole mirror popped right off.  He then said, "You know Tracey did the same thing awhile ago." I assured him it was no big deal, but as I was leaving I was thinking....geez...my Dad has turned into like one of my kids...he's trying to hide mistakes from me because he is afraid of what I will think.  Good God---I'm a parent to everyone now!!!!

Two books in three or four days (244 pages and 446 pages)....good for the soul!