Run, Forest, Run....

Run, Forest, Run....

I thought this was an appropriate title for this one. It was an interesting week. Just for the record, Im writing this one on Friday, May 15th. You know, just in case I start it and not finish it. Im good for that.

After the bout with food poisoning, I returned to work on Tuesday. I was still in a lot of pain but it wasnt nearly as bad as the day before. It was just pain. Not like the bruising, kicked feeling I had the night before. Not having the cramps or the nausea, also indicated that this was quick and was definately food poisoning. I called my doctor later in the day to let them know. They assured me that I was on the mend and blood work was not needed. Me and some Pepto got along great. It was the new cherry flavor too. Just so you know, I do not like the new flavor. I prefer the old. When you are sick, you expect medicine to taste like medicine. The new cherry stuff is way too sweet for that. It actually made the feeling worse because I dont like things to be too sweet. That alone will turn my stomach. And of course, I got the economy size. Figures.

I walked into work on Tuesday morning without any incidents from Cami. I think she knew I wasnt playing games. I was sick still and she knew it. Of course, she was asleep on the couch when I woke up though. But at least she was dressed and ready to go to school. That helped a lot. I wasnt about to fight with her to get dressed and all that jazz.

I told the ladies that I work with what happened and turns out that one of them also had food poisoning before. She agreed that the symptoms that I had were the same that she had felt when it happened to her. Ok, so I know I will get some sympathy today and hope that the kids wont be too rough on me. I wasnt in the mood to restrain anyone. That would make it hurt worse than I was already feeling. I was pretty much stiff. Not so bad though. And my head wasnt hurting so that was a plus.

I went downstairs to my post at the back door. My morning duty is to be at that door because that is where the buses stop and also where the kids go in and out of for breakfast or to the playground. I was still somewhat sore. Im sure I mentioned this a few times before but I really was. I have to stand there and smile and tell everyone good morning and make it a positive day. Its almost like answering the phone at Sears.

That reminded me of something really funny. When I worked at Sears, I was in the catalog department when I first started there. The main phone switchboard was located there and we always answered the phone and transfered the calls. Eventually I was the one that made the morning or the closing announcements because I sounded very happy and pleasant on it. Yeah right. So it was always the same thing. Hello, thank you for calling Sears, this is so-and-so, how may I direct your call. Now they have the automated one. But the announcements were funny because everyone would stand in the doorway to see if they could make me laugh over the loudspeaker.

The funny part was when I worked at a sporting goods store. I was a cashier and we all had to answer the phones. I always had trouble doing this because I refused to say what they wanted me to say. I couldnt so it holding a straight face. It went something like this. Hello, Its a great day at Dicks, this is so-and-so, how may I help you. I also hated working there because they lived up to their name. But that is another story I may tell you at some time.

Back to the original story. Im at the back door and my boss comes out. He asked if I was ok and I told him I was. He went on to the playground and I continued my morning routine. The kids there are great and they are polite. Most will tell me good morning first. Most have gotten to know me already and they like hanging out with me. So I have to push them on to the playground because I dont want them to get in trouble standing there. But they understand.

After the whistle blew and the buses left, the kids all come inside with their teachers. I greet them again and also the staff that I see. They are all friendly to me and I have made some new friends there. That is a relief due to how my job started there. At least these people liked me. Oh and I should mention that I am being treated a little better in my class now too. they see that Im a nice person and Im not a threat. Yeah, like that can happen. I dont have a mean bone in my body. Well some of those bones hurt but they arent mean.

After all the kids go on inside with their teachers, my boss comes up to me and wants to chat. Hes a great guy and I do like working for him. He asks me if I can help him out a little with a certain child. I havent met this one yet though. He said that they are having a difficult time with him and Im needed to guide him. Im almost questioning this. Almost. But then again, I should have known better. You know, this is when you agree to something and kick yourself in the ass later. I was soon to find out that my ass was going to be kicked hard.

But I agreed because I know that my boss has faith in me. I liked that feeling because I know that he isnt using me. There is a difference. He knows I can do the job and do it well. Its one of those things that I refer to as job security. Remember, I have a job where as some dont. I have mine because I know what I have to do and I do it. I do it well. Sometimes that can bite you but when there are layoffs happening, its nice to have that bit of a pat on the back to know that I still have a paycheck.

Anywho, he then goes on to tell me the issue at hand. There is a child that is pretty much uncontrolable. Its not the childs fault and its not the parents fault. Its the systems fault. Im back to where I was four years ago. When my training was put into place in the processing of a kindergarten child. This is a child recently diagnosed and was in the middle of being placed where he should be.

Its hard to explain. There is so much paperwork and testing that has to be done on a child in this grade level. You cant just put him in a room somewhere and expect it to be where he should be. He is medicated but not to the degree he needs to be at because of the way the system works. The proper papers need to be filed and all the meetings need to be done before the clinic will alter medications and place the child in the right place.

So this is a special ed child placed in a mainstream room where he isnt getting the one on one that he needs. He tends to be a runner because he has no place else to go. He cant control the urges he has. So now Im there to take him under my wing and guide him. Yeah right. Ive been up and down those stairs at least a hundred times a day and walking those halls with him. He will sit still at a computer and play games all day though. Its the only thing that keeps him still. So I put him on some educational games. But in the mean time, his work isnt getting done. He does listen to the teacher out of one ear though. He is learning but not where he should be. They are trying to get him into the containment room where Im supposed to be. There is a process to go through in order to get that done though. And that wont happen til Sept. So from now until then, hes mine. But they are trying to get him into a half day program. That will benefit him and my feet.

I think this week, I have lost about 15 lbs with all the running and walking I have done. He has kept me on my toes for sure. But he is a good kid and he likes to chat and he will work with me. Ive spent some time talking to his mother and shes ok with me working with him. She cant do anything more for him either and its frustrating her. But she likes that I am able to occupy him more than having no one at all. So Tuesday and Wed went fairly well. I got a lot of excersize.

Thursday was another story all together. I cant even begin to describe how crazy it was. I wouldnt even have a name for it. Well I have one but its too raw to post here. The morning was insane. Yeah, insane was a good word. Today is the Spring concert at her school. This means that there is a set rule for attire and she also has to do this whole thing alone in the morning. Rehearsal and all that. First off the bat, she had on a pair of jeans and a white shirt that was a little too big for her. She wore this shirt a couple of years ago for a concert but she has lost a bit of weight since then. The collar is a sort of wide V neck with crystals on it. Its a pretty shirt but its falling off her now. Also she wasnt wearing a bra. This is not good. Im sure that when she reads this someday, shes going to be a little bit pissed at me. But you know what? I can show this to her boyfriend and embarrass her.

So I made her change her shirt. She has other white shirts. She complained a little but I wasnt in the mood. But she refused to wear the black pants. I wasnt going to argue with her about that either. Let her teacher tell her. So off we went. I got her to school and she was more calm by then. I left there and I was on my way to my school when my cell phone rang. I cant answer it while driving so I waited til I was in the parking lot. I checked the number of the caller and saw that it was the phone number to her classroom. Why is she calling me this early? I was about to find out why and this is what started the ball rolling for the day.

I called her school and got ahold of her teacher to find out what was wrong. Apparently in the rush to get to school, we forgot her violin. I didnt even notice that she didnt have it with her. *facepalm* This is not good. I cant leave to go and get it. Its at home. Its not in my car. I dont have time. I have to get the kids off the bus. I am scheduled for a half day to go to her concert. I told her teacher that I would bring it to her then.

I got to my post at the back door and no sooner do I get outside, the phone rang again. It was Cami this time and she was crying and so upset. She has a rehearsal at 9:15 and needs the violin. Shes carrying on and it was heart breaking. What was I supposed to do? I did what a mom has to do. I found my boss and explained to him what happened and he said that I needed to get the kids off the bus and then I could go and get the violin and bring it to her. We both then thought about it a second and decided that I would be better off to just get the kids off the bus, go get the violin and take the whole day off instead. Ok. I can deal with that. Im tired and I could take a nap before the concert. Or so I thought.