I have learned about dealing with more paperwork than I thought possible, taxes, insurance, changing information legally and closing accounts. A number of them relatively easy, others have taken many phone calls and much patience! The cell phone and the Edison credit union, two of the worst.
There are times memories will hit when I least expect. I have been frustrated and angry when something needs to be done, and I don't want to deal with one more thing. Others when I look at where other people my age are in their lives. This such a different place where I imagined I would be at this time in my life.
Easter Sunday, as I sat in church, I thought of Dwayne, my friend Joyce and William's dad, (William is a student in my class who lost his dad to cancer last summer), enjoying their first Easter in heaven. Wow, I can't even imagine!
Most of the time, I am grateful for the people in my life that have helped so much. The financial planner who has so patiently walked me through and helped me to understand retirement funds, 401Ks, stocks and all of that. He knows my 'deer in the headlights' look and will explain things over again, or draw me pictures! I told him after a few meetings, that I had listened to a stock market report on the news and it made sense. That took some doing! The guys who have helped with repairs that have been needing to get done. I appreciate the support so much. A friend who helped me do taxes, first time ours have ever been finished in March. Dwayne would put them off until the week of the 15th.
In March, some of you know that Jared was in the hospital for three days. He was having some severe balance issues. In the emergency room when the nurse said they would be sending Jared up to the 3rd floor west- I asked her to come out into the hall so I could talk to her. The 3rd floor is the oncology floor-the last place I wanted to be. She explained that with all the flu going around, they knew that floor would be the 'cleanest'. The first day there, Jared had one of my favorite nurses that had taken care of Dwayne. It's bad when you have a favorite oncology nurse! One doctor thought he had an ear infection that had gotten into his mastoid bone. The ENT didn't think that was the case. The ENT sent Jared up to a Head and Neck specialist at UCLA. That doctor sent him to an neurosurgeon. This makes the 6th neurosurgeon we have dealt with in 25 years, between Dwayne and Jared. I think it is far too many! What they determined is for what ever reason, the bone around Jared's right ear has a 'bony deficit' and the dura surrounding the brain has herniated into this deficit and spinal fluid is leaking into the mastoid bone. So on May 18th, Jared with have surgery done by these two doctors at UCLA.
After the first of the year, I began to do some job searching. Teaching in a private school has been okay for a secondary income, but not one that will meet expenses long term. I kept running into problems with not having a California credential. My Nevada credential is outdated first of all, and second, California won't recognize it. At the encouragement of Nathan and a friend who works at a local private college-with an excellent education program, in less than two months- I applied, ordered transcripts, got reference letters, did more paperwork, wrote essays, did a in person interview, took the CBEST and passed first time-and was accepted into the Education Specialist program! I began classes this week. So, if I can stay on track I should have my California credential in Special education finished next spring. It has been, and will continue to be a wild ride!
My first day of school. May 4th
Between paperwork, hospitalizations, school and life in general, I have realized how many times this verse in Isaiah continues to have meaning. God's strength is the only thing getting me through.
