Warning! Poop talk at the end!!!! (Am I the only blog that gives poop talk warnings? YOU'RE WELCOME!!!)
1. Well, I survived my first week of school! I know I still have to get through today, but I am assuming I will. The first two days were great because I had mostly third and fourth graders. They’re the “older” kids and they’re my jam.It’s no secret that I find kindergarten and first grade to be… CHALLENGING. Kindergarten and first grade teachers are saints. I would not be able to do it all day. But I am glad there are special people in this world who can do it all day!
2. The beginning of the school year means I have to put on my mean, strict, teacher face for at least the first several weeks. It is hard because you have to set the tone of the year and be on top of everything at first. But it pays off. A few weeks of being hyper vigilant in the classroom management department pays off and then I will be able to relax a bit more. Teachers, you know what I am talking about!
2. The beginning of the school year means I have to put on my mean, strict, teacher face for at least the first several weeks. It is hard because you have to set the tone of the year and be on top of everything at first. But it pays off. A few weeks of being hyper vigilant in the classroom management department pays off and then I will be able to relax a bit more. Teachers, you know what I am talking about!
3. I am extremely anal retentive during the school year. I lay out all of my work clothes and workout clothes on Sunday. I also pack all of my lunches for the week. I just feel like I am in control more when I have all that stuff taken care of. Plus I hate packing lunches, so if I just pack five at a time BOOM I am done!
4. One thing I am not used to is getting up when it is still dark out. It’s so depressing. Is there anywhere in the world I could move where it is bright and sunny out from 5:00am-8:00pm… all year long? When it is dark and gloomy in the morning, a good podcast can cheer me up. Rob Has A Podcast (Survivor and Big Brother Coverage) is my favorite thing to listen to in the morning. It's "homey" to me, if you catch my drift.
5. I have been doing surprisingly well in the sleep department, thanks to my "happy pills". They are actually pills that help me sleep, but getting sleep makes me happy, so I call them "happy pills". It's a total of 6mg melatonin and 25mg diphenhydramine. No sleepless nights tossing and turning, worrying about school.
6. Obviously my fall schedule is much busier than in the summer, but it is not too bad. Right now I don't have many training clients, so my only obligations outside of my full time job teaching is piano lessons on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Those are long days- I teach until 7:00pm both nights. But the bright side is Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are wide open. This Wednesday Paul and I went fishing after work! It was fun. It felt like summer again.
7. I. still. have. diarrhea. I am not "going" as many times per day as I was a month ago... but I am still going a couple times, and I have not had solid stool in over a month! I am taking a probiotic but it doesn't seem to help. I am calling the doctor back because having diarrhea is just not working for me anymore. For one, I don't want it to turn out to be something bad that is wrong with me that I am neglecting. And second, it is sort of hard to teach all day long when you are worried about going to the bathroom! I can't be like, "Excuse me kiddos, I need to go blow up the bathroom right now, I'll be back in a few minutes..."
Teachers, how was your first week back?
Tell me something random!
6. Obviously my fall schedule is much busier than in the summer, but it is not too bad. Right now I don't have many training clients, so my only obligations outside of my full time job teaching is piano lessons on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Those are long days- I teach until 7:00pm both nights. But the bright side is Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are wide open. This Wednesday Paul and I went fishing after work! It was fun. It felt like summer again.
7. I. still. have. diarrhea. I am not "going" as many times per day as I was a month ago... but I am still going a couple times, and I have not had solid stool in over a month! I am taking a probiotic but it doesn't seem to help. I am calling the doctor back because having diarrhea is just not working for me anymore. For one, I don't want it to turn out to be something bad that is wrong with me that I am neglecting. And second, it is sort of hard to teach all day long when you are worried about going to the bathroom! I can't be like, "Excuse me kiddos, I need to go blow up the bathroom right now, I'll be back in a few minutes..."
Tell me something random!
I am sorry that you are still having GI issues. I would go back to the doctor too! I hope it gets resolved for you soon.
ReplyDeleteOur school starts Monday for the girls, Tuesday for Hunter.
Randomness...We have started looking at houses closer to the kids' school and my husbands work. I have mixed feelings about that.
Ooh I am sure that will cut back on commuting time but I can see how there could be some drawbacks.
DeleteI can appreciate how organized you are. I don't lay out all my clothes (I only go into the office 2x per week) but I get my lunches packed, I get all my cooking and baking done for the week, etc. I would most certainly get back to the doctor for the GI issues. That just can't be any way to live (how do you run w/ out having issues?). Random: I got a nasty stomach bug last Monday - Wednesday BUT I still didn't throw up (I have not thrown up in like 14 years). I hate throwing up and even though everyone always says "you will feel so much better" (which I know I would) I am scared to and I think I forgot how to. So I lay there with my eyes closed praying the nausea just goes away. So, was that way too TMI?? Sorry folks :)
ReplyDeleteHow I run is that SOMEHOW there are TWO port o john's in my neighborhood! Maybe the township is reading my blog and realized Meg Go Run needs extra port o johns! Lol. But seriously, between the 2 port o john's and my house, I can get in some good running and never be more than a 2 minute sprint from relief!
DeleteI can't believe you have not thrown up for 14 years! That is crazy! Throwing up definitely sucks but sometimes it does make you feel better.
OK, well, that is good! I just hope you can figure it out soon. GI issues are horrible and especially when running.
DeleteMegan - I took melatonin a while ago and I developed diarrhea that would not go away. I soon discovered that I had a sensitivity to it. And it wasn't just the brand of melatonin I tried (I tried a few) - I believe that it was the actual melatonin because I stopped taking it and the diarrhea stopped. It was a bummer because melatonin really helped me sleep (we have been giving it to our special needs son for a long time and it is a miracle sleep aid, luckily he has no adverse reaction to it). I just wanted to share my experience with you because at the time, I had no idea why I had diarrhea and tried everything (including going to a doctor and almost getting a colonoscopy on my birthday!) to figure it out. Just something to think about.
ReplyDeleteI also have trouble falling asleep sometimes and staying asleep, I have been taking 2 Benadryl and it really helps.
I hope you figure things out and that it goes away! My husband is also a teacher and when he has a bad stomach, he has taken Imodium during the school day to avoid a "situation."
Kristen
Wow, thank you for sharing that info about melatonin, Kristen! I never even THOUGHT of that but I am going to try not taking it. The next step I think would be to cut out dairy and is it crazy that I would rather go without sleep than not drink milk? Okay, that may be a little exaggerated but I just don't want to cut dairy because I don't think it's that. I will try not taking the melatonin and also see if I can go online and find a link between that and my GI issues. Thank you! Glad you didn't have to get a colonoscopy on your bday!
DeleteOh, immodium works for me but a little two well!
DeleteI know what you mean! I do hope that you figure it out - it ain't fun to have it!
DeleteKristen
Oh no, I'm really sorry you've been dealing with #7 (aka number two) for so long now. I've had GI issues all week. I have no idea why but it definitely makes life difficult. As if we don't have enough things to remember, with GI issues you have to plan out when you can eat so it doesn't interrupt your run!
ReplyDelete(or work... you have to plan to make sure it doesn't interrupt work too.)
I hope the doc can figure out what's up for you asap!
Thank you Kristina! I hope your GI issues don't continue! It certainly can cramp our style. I am eating lunch now but then I have kids in my room from 11:30-3:00 STRAIGHT! How am I going to make it?? We will see.
DeleteGlad your week has been going well so far! Implementing that structure in the beginning is so important. Glad you are sleeping better, but sorry about your bathroom issues! That is no fun and you should definitely get it checked out. I always feel bad for classroom teachers who cant go use the bathroom whenever they want.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I am okay with running to the bathroom and leaving like 3rd and 4th graders alone for a minute or two (I mean, is there any other option??) but not Kindergarteners!
DeleteOMG we're twins. I get diarrhea all the time too. I ended up getting a colonoscopy because my dad has colorectal cancer and they wanted to make sure I was okay (there is more info that I'm not writing here because it's a bit gross), and yes, I'm okay. I had a polyp and they removed it. Hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteUh oh now I am going to google "colorectal cancer" symptoms and hope mine don't pop up! I have some more gross info I could add too but like you said TMI!
DeleteI haven't started school yet but I will tell you having to go to the bathroom or getting sick in the middle of class is my BIGGEST fear! Fortunately my new classroom is right next to a restroom. Is not a teacher bathroom but it will work! I need to start packing lunches ahead of time cus I usually walk out the door with nothing! -M
ReplyDeleteI have a restroom close by too! That makes it a little more manageable.
Deleteoh man, i am in such aw of teachers. I don't know how to handle "normal" kids hahah my favorite demographic is in rehab, treatment centers, psych wards, and prisons/correctional facilities. When a kid doesn't have some sort of mental health diagnosis i'm like ".... so..... how bout... them... cartoons?"
ReplyDeletewww.slowandsteadykandm.com
I would not know how to deal with kids that severe, but we do have kids in our school that have all kinds of issues. It is crazy! Sometimes you learn what their home life is like and then you don't wonder why they are the way they all, it all starts to make sense. I'm sure you know what I mean.
DeleteI've developed this fear of running alone in the dark...it's made my morning runs really hard, but I did two this week, and I'm really proud!
ReplyDeleteI've been having diarrhea too lately. I'm not sure what's up. Maybe it's the resumption of my "feeding schedule" because of work, or the increase in coffee...But it reminds me of when I had it after EVERY meal in grad school. I lost a ton of weight and hated eating because I knew I'd be in the bathroom! It wasn't celiac-related (the doctor checked). Part of me wonders if it's SIBO or if I'm suddenly lactose intolerant or WHAT. But yeah, definitely frustrating, especially at work!
Why are you afraid of running alone in the dark? Have you read something that scared you? Do you carry pepper spray?
DeleteI am sorry you are suffering from similar GI issues. I had to google SIBO because I never heard of it but it sure sounds like something that could be my problem. I have a hard time believing I could be so suddenly lactose intolerant- unless that is how lactose intolerance works and all your life you could be fine and then one day BOOM you have it.
I haven't weighed myself because it's very triggering for me, but when I went to the dr. for this and they weighed me it was lower than I thought it would be, but only by like 5 lbs, nothing huge. I highly doubt I lost weight in the month since then because my clothes all fit the same. I do eat heartily even though it gives me problems to do so!
I think I'm scared of morning runs alone lately because I got out of the habit. If I get too dependent on having a buddy with me, or too used to running in daylight, I develop paranoia! But after a few morning runs it will go away. I do have mace but I rarely carry it.
DeleteI have spray and don't carry it either.
DeleteGlad you made it through the first week of school. What do you pack for school lunches? Same thing every day/week or do you switch it up? Oh, and I’m somewhat curious…. What happens if you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of class? Do you just leave the kiddos and cross your fingers that chaos doesn’t break out while you are gone, or do you have to call in another teacher to supervise?
ReplyDeleteI pack chicken, broccoli, and usually sweet potatoes- but they weren't on sale so I got a bag of brown rice and I will be eating that until it is gone. I am so hungry by lunch time and don't have that long to eat, so packing something very healthy every. single. day. is a sneaky way to ensure I actually eat it.
DeleteVery good questions about using the bathroom! First, let me explain that the bathroom is just a few steps from my classroom, so that is VERY helpful. If I have to duck out, it isn't for long at all. If the kids are 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade, I feel fine assigning them a task and leaving the room for 2 minutes. I don't really know what the *official* policy at my school is, but if I trust the class, I have to just use my professional judgement and when nature calls just be as FAST as possible. I even wait to wash my hands until I get back to the classroom. Now, with it being the beginning of the school year, I am very hesitant to leave K or 1st graders alone even for 2 minutes. At this point, it is too early in the school year and I just wouldn't do it. They have no concept of what "stay in your seats" means, so if I had an emergency I would have to ask another teach to quickly come and watch my classroom for me. Luckily, I work with AWESOME people and we are happy to help each other at any time, because obviously we all need help from time to time!
I do take the Rite Aid Cheapie probiotic. I think I forgot to take it today. OOPS!
ReplyDeleteEXHAUSTING!!!! I started laying out my work clothes too and I feel like it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. :) I really want my students to like me and not think I'm mean or scary but I'm also trying to use my bitchy face to be mean when someone steps out of line...such a confusing time. We have already done several "Okay let's try coming to the mat/line again."
ReplyDeleteThey can handle our bitchiness, don't worry!
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