New Week, New Road
This is a crazy week every year. I don't work full time anymore thanks to fatigue and challenges of CMT. Every year, this first week of school intimidates me. This year, just to keep things interesting (I guess), I get to tackle this week in a wheelchair. Days since injury: 3 weeks, 3 days Doctor visits: 4 Prognosis: Unknown (scary) Still on crutches/using wheelchair, still flaring up with pain and swelling when I try activities.
Before I look to the future, though, I want to share this past week. Adventures pushed me and scared me and inspired me. I have already been working in the classroom with my co-teacher, getting set up for new students. And the fair rolled into town!
Our county fair is a country fair under towering pine trees. A true community treat every year.
This year my niece met us with my brother, sister-in-law, and mom. My niece is going to be in my class in a few days! We enjoyed good summer play last week, though. Anika's favorite ride this year was the Viper. She loved the bigger, faster rides. We splurged on wrist-bands for Thursday. I figured, with the wheelchair, I would (mostly) enjoy the day.
Until the heat wave. And the reality of using a wheelchair to get around. I see hazards better than most walking-folk, but still, I was pretty shocked how difficult it was getting around. So many ridges and cracks in pavement that would catch the wheels and almost tip me out. And bumpy dirt all around the animals-which is understandable, but couldn't one paved path go through the fun areas? And tree roots, oh those tree roots were dangerous. The worst, though, was the midway. Cables everywhere! And they jerked at the wheels or got spread out so we couldn't get over them in one effort.
I was done long before anyone else, but they kept me going. How do I tell them that we are missing the fun because Mommy's struggling?
I keep going, because going is easier than admitting defeat sometimes. And I was a warrior. The carnival lights colored the darkness and kids rode the carousel under the moonlit pines.
Good memories. Though my ankle didn't agree. I started sore and swollen the next day. But, again, I pulled on my inner strength and resolve to return to the fair the next day for the Bunny Costume Contest. Anika and Pumpkin were Justin Bieber fans. She sewed a JB cape for him and wore everything purple and black in her closet. They looked amazing. And they won Best of Show!
Hurrah Anika, hurrah Pumpkin! Believers!
About half of an hour after that (after treacherous travel over gravel to get into the pavilion where I couldn't even see Anika because the only spot for me was off the the side), my foot and ankle smacked me back down to earth. This time, even though we had plans, even though I hadn't seen the quilts or my students' artwork or the ugly cakes, even though I wanted to fight, I couldn't win. I wouldn't win.
I hit the wall. We left. And the kids were disappointed, but at least I hung in there for ride-day. Besides, we had more excitement the next day, which is will write about tomorrow. Sheesh, I need to sleep. First day of teacher inservice tomorrow. The new road calls my name. I will answer. And hope, hope, hope that I can coast through the week. I don't feel like fighting.
Breathe. Relax. One day. One challenge. At a time. For now, sleep :)
Wishing you a healthy start to the week!
PS- Wordpress had an update and the photos all sized wrong. I will try and sort it out tomorrow. I also took the big camera and have photos on there to post. So maybe a photo post soon. For now, I will try one more time...
Not pleased about photo glitches. Grrrr...
