Thanks Shannon. I found out she is only 40, with three small children. I am having trouble dealing with these young people dying and leaving children without parents. She was the Gifted Coordinator at the High School, so we had communicated before my dd had her as a teacher. My dd said the whole class (mostly seniors) cried for the full 100 minutes of class (they have block schedules). The other Spanish teachers were in there too, and they all cried. They made her a poster and some cards, but there isn't much to say or do. She had written letters to the class about why she wasn't returning. So sad.
Michele - you have had a lot of experiences with young people and death in the last year. I'm sorry.
We just lost a PE teacher at the local math and science charter academy - he got hit by an SUV while he was out jogging, 43 years old. Not the same situation, but another young person with wife and two kids.
I also just found out that a woman I worked with back at Burger King had a heart attack, quadruple bypass surgery, then a stroke, then got put into a medically induced coma to prevent more damage. Also 43 years old. Freaking me out a little. I worked with her for 14 years, she wasn't in bad shape. Ate an alright diet, got some exercise. But still had high BP, and then bam.
The start of my week wasn't so bad, but I've joined the ranks of the stressed and am carrying a little black cloud with me. I've been in a "I'm shy and inadequate" sort of mood (this is sort of who I was as a teenager and every once in a while still pops out) and little things are irrationally upsetting me. Tonight we have a long rehearsal in our new venue to get ready for our performances Friday & Saturday. I'm debating on taking a half or whole day off tomorrow, bc geez, I'm turning into a psycho. Do I usually start to PMS this early in the month?
In pretty good news BF's biopsy came back as "only" pre-cancerous on his ear, so he will have the spot burned off like the others on his face - not a terribly big deal and a relief it isn't cancerous. Poor thing also got a skin infection from some poison ivy and finally went to health department for some high-powered antibiotics yesterday. He has no health insurance which is why he's always so reluctant to go.
Michele, happy birthday to your DD. Sorry about her teacher, that is terrible news. She seems so young, too. I have been hearing a lot of bad news lately.
Unfortunately right now I can't take the time to do much to de-stress, but I will take a little walk at lunchtime. Normally I'd try to get more sleep (ha!), go for a long workout or long dog walk on the beach, or read a trashy novel with some tea. Maybe I will have time tomorrow. Does anyone have any good, quick stress reduction techniques?
Megan, my quickest stress-reducer is to take a nice hot bath and shave my legs. No, I don't know why shaving my legs helps reduce stress. One less thing to think about I guess! Hopefully your BF will be able to get health insurance once all the provisions of the healthcare bill go into effect.
to all the folks who have seen young people die recently.
I have been reading but too busy to write replies. Work is a little crazy -- my project lead switched off our project to another project, and one of my team members got moved up into his position, which leaves me with all of my work and all of her work as well. They're working out staffing plans for the year but I really hope they give us more people soon.
I asked my boss to take the whole day off tomorrow, and I think the idea that I will just have to "get through" tonight's rehearsal and have time to breathe tomorrow is already easing my stress a little bit. I have tons of annual leave I never use and nothing pressing on my plate at work, so I don't know why I have so much trouble asking for the time off, but I did it. I will sleep, work out, and shave my legs! (Good one Jessica, I also feel like I've "accomplished" something when I shave.)
I did get some good news on this down day. My sister is pregnant again. She and her DH are thrilled to be growing their family. It is still early, she isn't due until September, but I'm happy for them!
It's so sad to hear about younger people passing or even having heart attacks/strokes, being diagnosed with cancer, etc. It really does seem like such news is becoming more and more common.
Megan, I am glad to hear your BFs biopsy turned out ok! I definitely empathize with putting off doc visits due to lack of insurance - hopefully I'll be back in school this fall and can get insurance that way. Congrats to your sister as well, and enjoy your day off tomorrow- sounds like you need it.
Jessica, funny about shaving your legs as a stress reducer - I never thought about it but I do agree!
Today is another beautiful day in the desert, but my allergies are in full swing. I love opening the door and windows in the afternoons (fresh air plus I can turn the heat off and save a few $) but my head and sinuses are protesting. I think any money I am saving on heat I'm really just re-directing to tissues and sudafed...
Once again trying to attain escape velocity from my job, as I head toward a four-day weekend.
I plan to spend two nights in Manhattan, and will wander the streets and do whatever I want, though I won't buy much. Well, tickets to things, and food, but this is not a shopping trip.
But first I have to get my desk cleared, metaphorically. (My desktop cleared?) And that is a temporary visit to he11.
Michele, I'm so sorry to hear of you reporting another death. We also have a slow one going on in the neighborhood here. My mother makes daily calls & visits to a friend down the street who's got COPD and seems to be failing. It's rather like she's revisiting my father's losing struggle with cancer back in 2008, as if she's gotten good at doing this kind of thing. She can't believe how oblivious the woman's family is, and some of the callous things she's heard them say.
Once again trying to attain escape velocity from my job, as I head toward a four-day weekend.
I plan to spend two nights in Manhattan, and will wander the streets and do whatever I want, though I won't buy much. Well, tickets to things, and food, but this is not a shopping trip.
But first I have to get my desk cleared, metaphorically. (My desktop cleared?) And that is a temporary visit to he11.
Michele, I'm so sorry to hear of you reporting another death. We also have a slow one going on in the neighborhood here. My mother makes daily calls & visits to a friend down the street who's got COPD and seems to be failing. It's rather like she's revisiting my father's losing struggle with cancer back in 2008, as if she's gotten good at doing this kind of thing. She can't believe how oblivious the woman's family is, and some of the callous things she's heard them say.
Sometimes people disregard the elderly and the very young and say the most inappropriate things in front of them.
A little stressful here tonight with some mother in law medical issues but I promise you all...
I WILL NOT SHAVE MY LEGS!!
and prayers to everyone who is stressed and/or dealing with a loss right now - which may be all of us.
Saef, tackling the desktop is also one of my nightmares - but once it's done I'm sure you'll have a lovely time in the city! Are you going to see a show?
Quote:
Sometimes people disregard the elderly and the very young and say the most inappropriate things in front of them.
This always upset me when I worked in a nursing home - some of the girls who worked there would say very inappropriate things in front of the residents, or even complain about having to work with certain residents. I don't care if you think they are too hard of hearing or not of sound mind due to Alzheimers.... sheesh!
Sometimes people disregard the elderly and the very young and say the most inappropriate things in front of them.
Dagmar
Sometimes, often, actually, when I would be out with my elderly mother we would run into this, at a restaurant"What does she want to order? " My answer, "I don't know, ask her." Same thing doing errands, maybe at the bank or store same thing,"What does she want to do ?" again my reply "Ask her."
I don't know the logic of people who have a living, breathing person in front of them that makes them think they can't take care of their own business.
On the job today, I'm relieved to say that I finished off one document I'd written several weeks ago; completed a full draft in the last of five documents in a series for another project; interviewed two job candidates in our Egham, England office over the phone; published a short document; and answered a heck of a lot of annoyingly timed urgent email inquiries. I will unfortunately need to look at two things on my laptop while I'm out of the office, ostensibly on my time off, but now, finally my desk is pretty much clear. This morning I was freaking out, thinking I couldn't get it done. And yet it's pretty much done, after I worked from about 7:30 to 9 PM tonight.
And that is amazing feeling: I haven't felt this caught-up in about four weeks.
Oh, and as for my accumulating ways ... a fairly big gilded Empire pier glass, packed pretty well by the eBay seller, who is not a dealer, arrived at my home looking quite nice but with the mirror in the top part broken in three pieces. This is sad, as it was one of those ancient misty-looking mirrors with slightly wavy glass about 1/4 of an inch. It dates back to the 1830s probably. I will have to replace it with new glass. Which will reflect well but has no soul. Has anyone had a mirror cut to fit an existing frame before? I need to look into who could do this, once I get back in town. And to ensure they can fit the mirror in without mangling the old frame.
My mother's friend with COPD called up today, crying, because she had spoken with the doctor today about retiring at 62, and the doctor had voiced doubts that she'd make it that far. (She is 55.) The doctor told her she could drop dead walking out of the office or tomorrow at any time. This woman's been advised to get a lung transplant but is too afraid to sign up for it. Also she is going to get a tube inserted in her somehow that bypasses her nose, since she is not getting air when she talks. After saying all this she cries & asks my mother to bring her cigarettes to smoke. Which my mother does. She cannot give up smoking, even in her current state.
On the job today, I'm relieved to say that today I finished off one document I'd written several weeks ago; completed a full draft in the last of five documents in a series for another project; interviewed two job candidates in our Egham, England office over the phone; published a short document; and answered a heck of a lot of annoyingly timed urgent email inquiries. I will unfortunately need to look at two things on my laptop while I'm out of the office, ostensibly on my time off, but now, finally my desk is pretty much clear. This morning I was freaking out, thinking I couldn't get it done. And yet it's pretty much done, after I worked from about 7:30 to 9 PM tonight.
And that is amazing feeling: I haven't felt this caught-up in about four weeks.
Oh, and as for my accumulating ways ... a fairly big gilded Empire pier glass, packed pretty well by the eBay seller, who is not a dealer, arrived at my home looking quite nice but with the mirror in the top part broken in three pieces. This is sad, as it was one of those ancient misty-looking mirrors with slightly wavy glass about 1/4 of an inch. It dates back to the 1830s probably. I will have to replace it with new glass. Which will reflect well but has no soul. Has anyone had a mirror cut to fit an existing frame before? I need to look into who could do this, once I get back in town. And to ensure they can fit the mirror in without mangling the old frame.
My mother's friend with COPD called up today, crying, because she had spoken with the doctor today about retiring at 62, and the doctor had voiced doubts that she'd make it that far. (She is 55.) The doctor told her she could drop dead walking out of the office or tomorrow at any time. This woman's been advised to get a lung transplant but is too afraid to sign up for it. Also she is going to get a tube inserted in her somehow that bypasses her nose, since she is not getting air when she talks. After saying all this she cries & asks my mother to bring her cigarettes to smoke. Which my mother does. She cannot give up smoking, even in her current state.
Glad you're caught up and can now enjoy your time off . Sorry your mirror broke - old glass is quite brittle and it was probably vibration that did it.
And I don't know what COPD is but that's so sad. I live in a neighbourhood that is very mixed use (low and middle income people rub shoulders) and I constantly see people in motorized wheelchairs zipping around, smoking cigarettes. I guess if you know you are going to die anyway or are disabled for life it doesn't make that much difference any more?
Hopefully your BF will be able to get health insurance once all the provisions of the healthcare bill go into effect.
and can now enjoy your time off 
. Sorry your mirror broke 
- old glass is quite brittle and it was probably vibration that did it.
