It's Been Awhile!

Sometimes time just gets away from you, and that is exactly what has happened to me.  My last post was about my 12 year transplant anniversary, and here it is 11 months later and so much has changed!


When I saw Dr. E last Spring, he warned me that something needed to change or I would not be around much longer.  My stress level was way over where it needed to be, my body was developing issues from the anti-rejection meds, and I was just generally unhappy.  My case load of kids was approaching almost 500, the State of Oklahoma was not valuing the education profession, and despite working for a great district I just could not seem to get anywhere.


For several years, Susan's brother had tried to get me to come to Arkansas and work in his public Charter School.  I'd gone over during the summer and helped out a couple of weeks a summer so I was familiar with his philosophy and the success he was having.  This year they were going to open two new campus sites in Rogers and Springdale, and he offered me a position as a counselor.  After reflecting on my health and having strong consideration over leaving my 80'ish folks alone since Robert and Susan had moved to Fayetteville, I made the decision to take the job.  Boy, am I glad I did!


I decided to retire from Oklahoma 5 years early because I didn't think I'd live that long if I stayed.  I moved to Springdale in June and started working at Haas Hall Academy shortly after.  A couple of weeks before school was to start, Marty asked me to also serve as the Headmaster for the Springdale campus as well as do the counseling for grades 7-10.  Since I only had @ 170 kids to start, I felt I could handle it. 


I have been so happy to be here.  I work with kids who want to come to school...they may not be academically at the level we'd like them to be but they show up every day.  The parents don't call to cuss me out, they call to thank me for creating a safe environment for their scholar.  The staff, who I had not input in selecting, have joined together to create a family.  Even dealing with new construction and a public building, it has been so much less stressful than last year that I've dropped weight and all my doc appointments have been so much better than last year that the docs are thrilled.


My only concern has and will always be the effect of all this on my parents.  Mom had a knee replacement surgery this fall that was difficult for her at 80, and Dad has had some issues resulting in quick ambulance runs.  But, Robert has stepped up and helped a great deal as has several of my male cousins, Jimmy, Rodney, and Donnie.  Marty has known that I'll drop everything to go to my parents if needed and gratefully, he supports me in this.  I try to see them at least every other week and call several times a week.  If I could get them up on technology, we'd Skype or Facetime but they aren't quite ready for that.


So, it has been a year of change with year 13 rapidly approaching.  I've been blessed to now be 3 years past the average and hopefully with these changes I can go another 5 to 7 before any further issues develop.  At least I'll know those last years will be in a happier place.  I miss my friends and family in Oklahoma, but I'm grateful that Marty believed in me and saw past the "you know she's had a heart transplant" stigma that seemed to follow me in BA.  I plan on taking full advantage of the opportunity and continue to be as happy as I am right now.