Back in the Saddle (2/1)

Hello All-

First of all, I'm not sure how many people are still checking and reading this, so if you do read this, let anybody else that would want to read it know that after 4 weeks, I've done another update. As far as future updates go, I'll probably write here periodically as hopefully Kari will too when we get her voice recognition software fully trained.

Well, the main reason that I'm writing today is that it was my first day back to work at Gage (Middle School). I was a little anxious about it, but after about 5 minutes, all the bad jokes and familiar lines (my spiel, as I call it) came back to me and I felt like I had never left. Not quite used to the sleep schedule yet, though. I'm not the kind of disciplined person that prepares by getting up early for the week prior, I need to kind of shock my body into compliance. Anyways, the kids were excited to see me, as I was to see them. After seeing some of the kids I could only regret not being able to have them all year. I get really attached to my kids and never feel I get enough time with the good ones, so this year will be particularly hard. Lots of work still to be done though--the subs I had did a great job, but I have a lot of work to do organizing and just getting my program in sync. with how I teach again.

We’ve e hired Sarah Thompson to come over in the mornings to do Kari's care and stay with here for much of the day, and she was over most of last week learning everything that she didn't already know from just being around a lot. I know how to do basically everything care wise that Kari needs, and Sarah is a fast learner, so it wasn't too hard to get them set up and it seems that what we have will work out well. I found out that our insurance doesn't cover home health care, just skilled nursing care, which would be anything that only a nurse could do, like give IV's or work with say, a dialysis machine, but I still need to get set up with someone if Sara can't make it.

There is still a lot to figure out, but today seemed to both of us to be the start of what the new "normal" is. I still get so sad at times about everything that has happened, but this whole situation has not taken our joy and only helped to grow our love for each other. You get used to how things are though and we are still happy in our new life together, even if not as care free.

Our main concerns right now are finding more therapies for her to go to, as our stay at Craig used up most of our coverage, getting all the technology that will allow Kari to be more independent figured out, and also just getting totally moved in and settled into a routine that works for both of us.

Health and strength wise, we've both gotten a lot better both mentally and physically since we left Colorado. Kari did spend one night in the hospital for a blood clot, although that was more because the hospital couldn't figure out the logistics of getting her out of there than anything else. Overall though, Kari is so much stronger. I know that if we took the same trip that we took home from the hospital today, it would be a lot easier for her. We have been going places together almost every day--shopping, dinner, church, the movies and such that it will be hard not to get to see each other as much now that I'm at work. At any rate, though it feels great to be back.

Aaron.