We are back to school! And I have never been more excited.  I need routine and structure more than ever right now. Plus, I needed to get out of the freaking apartment. So, while everyone else dreaded coming back to school, I was bouncing with pleasure.

Getting up at 6:00 was a bit of a challenge, but that is not new for me. And I could have killed Mom, who walked into my room four minutes before my alarm with a cup of decaffeinated tea. My morning school routine has been set for a long time and it does not involve other people. I don’t do well in the morning, especially if I have to talk to people. The “Mom alarm” made me feel 16 all over again, which made me even more surly. But, being able to drive myself to school made it all better again. (Also a very sixteen year old mentality but I will have to unpack that one in my next therapy session.)

I had to get my blood checked and Mom had to stay at the British Hospital for blood donation (more on that in a future blog). So, Mom and Greg (a math teacher at our school who carpools with me) and I headed to the British Hospital bright and early. Blood takes ten minutes tops.

Afterwards, Greg and I headed to school and we still managed to beat everyone. I love a quiet school in the morning. This is the best part of driving!  I also adore the first day of PD at UAS. Everyone circulates around the auditorium and gives kisses. You are greeted by every person at the school from faculty to staff to maintenance. It is one big community, and I love it. I was a little nervous because this was the first time I had my head completely covered for my colleagues. I chose a cute little head wrap with feathers on it and answered a hundred times that I was feeling fine. People seemed to have great summers!

The basic PD housekeeping commenced and then we were released to meetings. Mom met me at school. She wanted to clean my classroom. And now that I think about it, I won’t even be here for the first two days of actual school, so all of that cleaning will kind of be obsolete once the gaggle of children come. Oh well. Mom also brought me the results of my blood. My white cells had not improved and the neutrophils were even lower. I was going to have to get a Neupogen shot, especially since I have a surgery on Thursday.

Mom and I got in my car and headed back to the British Hospital for my shot. And I was completely agitated because the last time I had this shot, I had some of the worst pain of my life. I didn’t want to miss any more school, even if they were PD days. So, I was a little preoccupied the rest of the day. I kept waiting for the bone pain to start. I had enough Tylenol in me to  make my kidneys working overtime. And we had grade level meetings. It isn’t that I mind these meetings. I think they are really beneficial for us and the students. But sometimes the room is dominated by repetitiveness and it is better for everyone to stay quiet and let us move on to the next.

By the end of the day I was exhausted and not in a “I have cancer” way. It was the normal “I worked hard and had a lot of stuff going on today” tired. Nicolas was supposed to come over and we both could see that was not going to happen. He was getting ready to eat dinner by the time I was in bed and drifting off. Oh, cultural differences. Maybe next Monday. It was a day of ups and downs. Nevertheless, I am glad to be back into the swing of what I know best.