It was MLK Jr. day on Monday of last week. In the afternoon, I started to feel a bit sick, and then it got worse. I stayed home on Tuesday, and tested positive for COVID then too. I’d somehow managed to avoid it, which is a miracle since I think most people I know have had it. In any case, I felt super awful on Tuesday and less awful on Wednesday, and slightly human on Thursday, and fairly good on Friday. However, because of COVID protocols at my school, I had to stay home the whole week.
Today (Monday) is my first day back. And I had some nice notes from students, including two in one of my classes who wrote on a post-it note “I just want you to know that we appreciate you. We hope you are feeling better. You are our favorite teacher.” It was extra special because I would not have anticipated these two students to be the author of that super sweet note.
I thought I was going to die since I’ve been so bedridden and I had to wear a KN-95 all day, and I was teaching all my classes today. But I actually got through my classes fairly well and it was lively and I didn’t get tired. I had the long band free so I used that to do a ton of grading … I had a bunch to do from last week and I only had done about half of what I needed to over the weekend. Shockingly, I had the stamina to do more grading! And more! And I even did something I was planning on putting off! It’s taken such a weight off my shoulders.
So I’d say a lot of good things happened today.
However, one of the best things happened this morning. Although our school COVID protocols say that no matter how I test, after Day 5 of having COVID, I should come in and teach if I’m feeling well. But I’m chaperoning a trip to Greece which leaves tomorrow, and the program rules say I have to test negative for COVID today in order to be able to go. And this morning, I did two different tests (different companies), and both came up negative. So tomorrow, I’ll be getting on a plane to go to Greece with a gaggle of children!
So even though I’m back at school today — hence the update on this blog — I won’t be posting for the next couple weeks!