Monday, February 25, 2008

Therapy...and thankfulness!

So, here we are again, sitting amongst the patients at the Spinal Cord Rehab center. I am constantly reminded that the true measure of faith and strength and perseverance is in places like this. Places where people are fighting against all odds, places where people struggle to return to normal, or to create a new normal, places where extremem effort is rewarded in the tiniest of ways and often after only a long struggle.

Today is Monday...the day that new families arrive with their children. It is a combination of fear, fatigue, and determination, mixed with excitement at the possibilities that I see on their faces. You can quickly spot the first time parents, their eyes dart from side to side, taking in the environment, the equipment, the other parents, and the other children.

DS is on week two of our visit. We come here every 2-3 months for 2 weeks, staving off what is a progressive debilitating disorder. It's origin is uncertain...residual effect from the brain tumor? Progression of the Syringomyelia? In a nutshell, small cysts are beginning to fill his spinal cord, displacing the nerves and altering their ability to fire messages correctly. Cellular changes indicitive of the presence of a new tumor forming? No one is sure, perhaps a combination?

I look around me and I realize that whenever my life seems challenging, my burden heavy, I am fortunate. My struggles are minimal in comparison, my life is easy. Look around you, somewhere others are struggling more. Remember how fortunate you are...

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Dear High School Principal, part two

Dear High School Principal,

Recently I visited two of your classroom with my son, his teacher, and a vice principal looking for a new elective class for him to attend. I wanted to share with you my impressions.

The first class, Art Theory, was fascinating. I was impressed that the class size was small, only 14 students. They were studying the color wheel, many students engaged in a great discussion on tretiary and complimentary colors. The room, while cluttered, was filled with art samples and textbooks. Unfortunately half of the class was completely uninvolved. Four of the students were listening to their iPods during the lecture, two were smacking each other with rulers, and another one appeared to be sleeping. At no time during my 15 minute visit did anyone correct the students behavior....

The second class was a music class. The students were supposed to be learning keyboarding skills. Well, hmm....when we walked in the teacher was sitting at her desk reading a book. Several students were simply sitting at their keyboards fiddling around or doing something else. A handful of students, think four, were actually working on their compositions. At no time during the 15 minutes I visited the class did the teacher engage the students. NOT ONCE... Again, I was accompanied by my son, his homeroom teacher, and a vice principal.

So, which class should I enroll my son in you ask? Neither! Honestly what do you expect me to choose? The keyboarding class where the teacher isn't even speaking with, directing, or engaging her students OR the art class where half of the students
aren't even participating in the class? Why would I choose either of them? Why would anybody?

Thanks again for reinforcing how fabulous high school is...