Asthma knows no Sabbath

The day of rest is not familiar to the constricted airways within my lungs. Of course, with my children here, parenting doesn't give me an opportunity to rest. Finally, we took down the Christmas tree. This activity is mostly one of trying to preserve ornaments from one year to the next. The voice, my regular weapon against stupidity, bickering, carelessness, foolishness, rowdiness, etc. was completely unavailable. Multiple rounds with the albuterol did little to help. What I need to do is rest so that I can get my self back in good health. I don't know how to rest, and that lets my asthma get out of control. Despite feeling better since starting all the meds as my doctor prescribed, I have to surrender. Tomorrow, I will call for a substitute and forward lesson plans to my AP and dept. chairperson. I hate missing school because it always means a crazy game of catch-up as a result of there being virtually no substitute teachers who speak French. This time of year, when we are just getting the ball rolling, my being absent is serious setback. I hope that one day will be enough. Friday at work was ridiculous. I was pantomiming and writing and pointing and whispering and clapping my hands and whistling. My students actually were wonderful and behaved like angels. In reality, we accomplished a good deal of work, but it was not nearly the productive day it could have been. Likewise, I encourage students who are ill to come to school when what they should do is rest. It's true, asthma is not contagious, but not taking illness seriously lets communicable ones like flu, strep, staph, etc. get out of control in a school very quickly. I guess that I need to be a good role model in sickness and in health. (Even if you read aloud through this fast enough, you won't be close to as out of breath as I have been for two weeks.)