A rainy return to work.

It's been so rainy here for the last few days and it seems like it will continue for at least another day or two. The darkness of it all is so difficult to deal with sometimes. It's definitely not as bad as those days in between diagnosis and surgery, which were similar weather wise and so dark I could barley function, but it's amazing how a little sunshine can change ones whole mood and outlook. I really don't know how people in places like Seattle, England, Rochester, and Fredonia, NY (just picking on some family members) deal with all of the grey days each year. Hopefully they are taking their vitamin D supplements!

So, it was time to start the long process of getting back to work. It';; be a long process because I plan on taking a long time before I am working a full day. I am definitely not ready for that and I don't anticipate being ready for that for at least another month. Also, as several people have advised me, once I go back full time, people will assume that I am fine and will start expecting a lot from me. They will expect that I will be the same person I was before all of this. I also have a fear of over-doing it and getting sick. I really don't need a set-back like that. Thankfully, my supervisors have been so understanding and supportive that I have no guilt in terms of my plan to return. My wife will tell you of the days in the past, when I would have such a hard time taking a day off when the kids were sick. The guilt of not being there for the school kids, my co-workers, etc would be overwealming for me. It seems so silly now....probably a lesson I needed to learn.

So the plan is for me to start by teaching one 40 minute period per day. Since my Wind Ensemble has their concert on May 14th, I thought I should work with them everyday and help them prepare for their concert. Once the concert is over I can shift my focus to my jazz ensembles who have their concert at the end of the month.

I was very excited all day to get back to teaching. A couple of issues popped up that fall under the category of, "Why do we really need this right now?" Maggie came down with a double ear infection and was home from school. Which means more sleepless nights for Sue and lots of screaming and crying (from Maggie...not me!) Also upon returning from a shopping trip to BJ's, I hear a noise from my car that sounds like air leaking from somewhere. Yup...a big fat nail in the tire! Thankfully, SUe didn't need her car so I took it to school.

I arrived at school about a half-hour before the class. I was greeted to a decorated office. Some of the students made welcome home signs and hung cardboard music notes in my office as well as streamers hanging in the entryway. Very sweet! I got to chat with some students and co-workers and before long...the bell rang and my anxiety level increased. I had someone put my chair on podium so I could sit while I conducted. Before I could start the class, a couple of the seniors came up and made a short speech about how thankful they were to me for the hard work I did on the Disney trip. They gave me a beautiful present, including a Disney T-shirt and a picture of all of the seniors in a Disney frame. Very thoughtful! Another group of students gave me a journal that they had purchased in Disney and they wrote down some of their experiences while they were there. I have not read the whole thing yet, but one student insisted that I read the first entry. The entry explained something was wondering about since I had arrived. There was a trophy in my office that said, "World's best Father". I was confused by this and I didn't know who's it was. Upon reading the entry, it all became clear. The student's wrote that as they travelled through Hollywood studios, they came across trophies. There were all kinds of trophies, including some that said best teacher, etc. In thinking about getting me one of these, one of the students said....no...he's more than a teacher, he's our father. It was tough to get through that moment without crying but I did. How lucky am I to have chosen this career. Our students are some of the most kind and caring young people I have ever met. Their parents should be proud of them.

The rehearsal itself went well. The band is sounding pretty good and I'm excited that I should be able to get through the concert with them. It was great to get back to the routine and I thank God for the strength that has returned already. Upon returning home, I did crash in my chair for a nice nap! Thanks to everyone who made my first day so special!