Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

NEWLY DIAGNOSED ELEMENTARY TEACHER

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    NEWLY DIAGNOSED ELEMENTARY TEACHER

    I AM THE GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHER IN AN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND I WAS DIAGNOSED 2 WEEKS AGO. SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR 2 YEARS. I HAD AN MRI AFTER RECENT SYMPTOMS AND FOUND ANOTHER LESION. SEEMS LIKE TIME TO INTERVENE.

    I HAVE TOLD MY PRINCIPAL AND THE TEACHERS I AM CLOSEST TO IN MY BUILDING. SO FAR I HAVE NOT HAD TOO MUCH TROUBLE IN SCHOOL, BUT IT HELPS HAVING A PARTNER TEACHER TO JUMP IN IF I AM HAVING DIFFICULTY READING OR WRITING. MOST OF THE SYMPTOMS HAVE GONE AWAY FOR NOW.

    I AM NERVOUS ABOUT STARTING THE COPAXONE AND WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO IS TAKING THE DAILY INJECTABLE.

    I ALSO HAVE 3 YOUNG CHILDREN AND TEACH FULL TIME. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO IS DEALING WITH MS, WORK AND FAMILY. I KNOW I SHOULD BE TAKING ONE DAY AT A TIME, BUT I CAN'T HELP THINKING ABOUT NEXT WEEK, NEXT MONTH AND 5 YEARS FROM NOW.

    I HOPE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE SHARING SIMILAR STRUGGLES AND FEARS.

    #2
    Hi Teachermommy,

    I just retired this past June, after thirty years in the classroom, elementary special education, then regular ed grade 2, then middle school grades 6,7,and then 8. I loved every minute of my career.

    I've recently published a book on the belated diagnosis and treatment of RRMS. Copaxone was my choice of meds, because as teachers we cannot flirt with flu symptoms every week. I was diagnosed at age 57, but by then my brain looked like someone much older, though I had few relapses. I've learned since that there is no correlation between number of lesions and relapses.

    For three years, I was able to stay with my workload, teaching 100 8th graders US History. Correcting essays and tests took longer and longer year by year. In my fourth year of treatment, depression, fatigue and anxiety increased. I had to retire, just two years short of a full 32 year pension. I thought for most of my career that I would never retire.

    I have six books at Amazon.com, two about the changes in teaching over the past twenty years. But my sixth book is titled Multiple Sclerosis, an Enigma. I know I'm biased, but I think you would find it helpful.

    Rest rest rest when you can. Lean on your partners. Don't share symptom details with parents. Get a psychologist for counseling sessions and share details there. Your insurance will pay for all but the co-pay. A diagnosis of MS will allow you a jury exemption, a handicapped parking placard, and you will need to take advantage of these to conserve your strength.

    Be well. You have the hardest, and most rewarding job that a person with MS could have.

    Terry
    First symptoms: 1970s Dx 6/07 Copaxone 7/07 DMD Free 10/11
    Ignorance was bliss ... I regret knowing.

    Comment


      #3
      sherp

      i taught for 34 years and had a bad relapse the year i retired lucky for mr i had 200 sick days. now i go out to breakfast with other retired teachers

      Comment


        #4
        I feel your pain

        I too am/was an elementary classroom teacher. When I was diagnosed with MS, I was transferred to a school with airconditioning.

        LONG LONG story short, while I am a reading specialist (meaning I do a little bit of everything, small group, team teaching, pull out groups) somehow I have started each year with classroom duties then had the classroom taken from me when we got additional funding, but I still find myself covering classrooms or doing demonstration lessons.

        I find it very hard to walk between primary students sitting on the carpet to move around the room to switch technology etc. My administration is aware and is suppportive of my situation.

        This year I began the year teaching second grade reading... I "trained" the students to have their hands in their laps or risk having their fingers stepped on by me. They got used to me touching their heads to keep my balance while walking between them. I just tell them I am old and need some help... they think it is funny (I just turned 40).

        If I was tired.... no usually, I sat in one place and made them come to me for help..... not ideal, but at least I could walk at the end of the day. I KNOW if I spend two and a half hours on my feet I am spent at the end of the day.

        Everyone has different limits. Learn your limits and be honest about what you can and can't do. I am lucky enough to be in a supportive environment.

        It so happens that our playground is a long walk from the classrooms..... before I was released from my classroom duties, I was never expected to do playground duty (at my request). I dont even walk down there when we have evacuation drills!!!

        So in the end, find out what is most important to do your job and ask for help when needed.....I am on Copaxone.... I have adjusted to the daily injections and barely think about them anymore. For me, though the saving grace has been Amprya... it has given me soooooooooo much more energy!!! I HIGHLY reccomend the drug!!!

        Comment


          #5
          I teach and am on copaxone. What saves my butt is making a big pot of something for dinner for the week. I come home and donīt have to think about preparing anything- nuke it and munch.

          Compassionate colleagues go a long way. Acknowledging your daily joys goes a long way. Check out Qi gong- DVD at Barnes and Noble. Exercise helps a lot- energizes you- I do weight lifting with very short pauses in order to get the aerobic benefit and it takes less than half an hour.

          Comment

          Working...
          X