The best laid plans sometimes just evaporate before your eyes….don’t they.
For over 9 months, I have anticipated next week. I was heading back to Illinois. My home away from home. My extreme concentration of friends and EdTech peers who rejuvenate me and make me laugh out loud.
The plan was, fly in Sunday — enjoy the Morton Arboretum on Monday, pick up Dennis Grice from the train station on Monday night to enjoy Chicago Pizza, then share in conversations with the ICE attendees on T/W/Th/F, see the sights of “CHICAGO” on Saturday and fly home Saturday night.
It was a plan, it was a done deal, tickets were bought, car was rented, hotel was booked, it was written in stone……….or so I thought.
And then came the news. “Jen, you need surgery and we can’t put it off.”
Okay, I thought, surgery — great. In one day — and out the next. Smiles, I am young, I am resilient, I am……ahhh, it appears sick.
Not the kind of “I am gonna die” sick — though for a few days that was a wonderment. But the kind of “if I don’t take care of this, I will get worse” kind of sick.
So, I am on antibiotics — STRONG antibiotics — to build my body up to be prepared for the invasion of infection once this tooth is pulled. And then bed rest for a few days as my body fights whatever happens once the tooth is gone.
I am not one that is usually sick. Okay, aches, pains, gripes, and woe is me at times…..but except for pneumonia about 10 years ago….I am pretty darn healthy. And have never spent the night in a hospital — and hope I don’t have to on Friday.
Needless to say — I am still confident that all is well — and I hold Psalm 121 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+121&version=NIV) always close in my heart and mind.
Am I sad — hmmmm, more disappointment and a bit angry. I need to learn to take better care of myself and notice the warning signals before they are hitting me in the face. I am disappointed because I needed my IL buds to laugh with, to share a room w/ my pal, Cheryl, to see John and Chad, and to show Illinois to Brent and Dennis. I am disappointed that I don’t get to share projects, and wordles, and new ideas with the ICE attendees. And I am disappointed that I might miss snow.
Okay — yeah — I am sad.
Jen
Hey Jen,
Thinking of you from afar. Stay tough – and get well very very soon! Maybe a summer trip to IL?
Jen,
I am so sorry about your disappointing news. I know once you get that taken care of you will be feeling better pretty quickly. My husband has been through this and he bounced back fairly fast. Take lots of vitamins ahead of time and drink lots of water!
And I am sooo sorry you are having to miss out. I know how much you value F2F!
I am so sorry you won’t be here next week, I was really looking forward to seeing you. Unfortunately, I will be in Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday next week for a hearing on my father’s estate, so I will not be able to play hostess for Brent & Dennis. But I will be around Thursday and Friday and will try and pick up the slack when I can.
Take care of yourself. Your kids (& kitty) need you!
Jen, you’ll be missed, for sure. I’m sure things will go well and you’ll be back on your feet in time for WEMTA.
Oh boy can I ever relate! I missed AASL in November because I had pneumonia. It truly was a bitter pill to swallow (figuratively and literally–yeah that antibiotic had a BAD taste)
You will be greatly missed, but your health is more important. Rest up!
Take care of you.
So sad to hear you can’t make it! Get well and we’ll see you next year!
You will definitely be missed. We so hope you will try to reschedule for next year. We think skype call ins are in order. We should plan to skype you into the panel that will still go on that you put together, and you can be skped into the workshop sessions that others are presenting for you, let’s try to skype you on the IWB in the PLN Plaza, and whenever else we can!! Take care of yourself, and if you are well to join us virtually we will bring you to IL that way this year.
I’m so sorry for your disappointment and hope your surgery goes well. I have had an abcessed tooth that I ignored once and my face swelled up twice the original size. It was so bad, they thought about putting me in the hospital but eventually gave me two HUGE shots in each hip and let me go to school. My poor students were horrified and so kind to me (probably because I looked like the elephant man). They say that infections in your teeth can cause death so now I take mouth surgery pretty seriously. There is always another time for IL but you only have one life. Take care of yourself.
Hope you have a speedy recovery – so sorry you miss your long awaited trip too!
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Jen,
I am sad, but also glad that the doctor’s found this AND that you listened! I am looking forward to both attending and presenting at ICE for the first time this year. I am deeply disappointed that we cannot meet at ICE & continue a f2f PLN next week. I am sure there will be other times in the future. I am liking the idea of Skyping you into the PLN Plaza. Please take care of YOU.
Jen,
Take care. Hope to see you next year!
So sorry to read the news. Was really looking forward to seeing you. Don’t worry the about the snow, it will be sure to be back again next year (it is ICE after all). Get better soon, I’m sure we’ll be streaming a bunch of sessions per usual.