I'm done. It's official.
Pushing to the Winter Break is always a challenge at school. The moodiness. The excitement. The full moon and lunar eclipse, concurrent with a snowstorm and other mood-altering atmospheric conditions -- well, I can just say the last week of school in 2010 was more of a challenge than usual.
Stumble It!
But I'm done. I survived. It's over.
It's more than over, though. I'm done - for the year. Not just 2010, but the full 2010-2011 school year. I'm taking a leave of absence from my teaching job from now until June.
Illness made teaching tough this year. Gout, flu-like virus, even the possibility of heart trouble had me missing more days than I wanted.
But more than that, school has been a struggle: a struggle that was making me sicker. I didn't sleep well at night. Worries kept me awake, and when sleep did come, I'd awaken in a head to toe sweat. Stomach aches every Monday morning, heartburn and headaches Sunday nights, there were too many symptoms to ignore.
There were tipping points. Getting hurt while preventing a student from throwing a chair. Getting threatened by a student and seeing no administrative response whatsoever. Spending time late at night to leave decent sub plans - against the doctor's advice - only to get all kinds of nasty notes about how my work hadn't been sufficient.
Between me, the doctor, and my family, we decided it was time: time to look into a long-term leave. A time to recover, to heal, both physically and mentally. A time to really examine my commitment to teaching and whether it can weather this kind of conflict. Before I make any kind of decision on my future, I need to rest. Rest, recover, and feel good again -- even on Mondays.
Labels: depression, teachers live at school
Stumble It!
posted @6:20 AM
10 Comments:
I know that must have been a difficult decision to make, but it sounds like it was the right one. I hope you heal quickly this winter and that you find the answers you seek.
Hugs.
My very best to you. A wise decision on your part. Your comments regarding the environment you were in make me wonder how you did your job.
I thought it might have been a health-related leave of absence you were alluding to, but it sounds like much more than that. Yikes.
Enjoy your recovery time.
I'm so proud of you for taking care of yourself!! Now is a time for rest and detox. Good for you for being brave enough to embrace the necessary uncertain.
I hope you find clarity so you can make the decisions you need to for your health and your family. Hugs and prayers to all of you.
Mental health is as important as physical health. I'm sure your decision was a difficult one to make, you're very dedicated to your students. However, it seems you've done the right thing. Good for you! It's time to put Daisy "first" for a while!
Good for you. I think it is a great choice. Sometimes you need to step back and take some time off.
Although I am proud of you for taking care of you, I am also quite proud of you for taking a stand and letting it be known that work conditions like that are not tolerable. You are making a difference for others as well. Albeit temporary (?), it's their loss.
I'm cheering for YOU! What a good thing you're doing for yourself and your family. Nothing like space so you can focus and heal.
I am so proud of you. I quit my job at the psychiatric hospital a year ago not because of mental health, but physical health. I'd only worked there a couple of years, but it was still a tough decision. And the best decision I'd made in a long time. Hard at first, but better with every week that passed.
I'm hoping you find freedom, both mentally and physically, as time passes.
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