Helplessness in the Face of a Sick Child

Our son has had another (third) reaction to an antibiotic.  He had a vivid rash covering most of his body.  At this point the doctors can articulate what he has (Type II Hypersensitivity) but that is of little comfort---he will probably have this same reaction for the rest of his life when he takes antibiotics.

And there's not much I can do.  I can try to comfort, but I can't make it better.  There's no way around that.

Last Quarter

Spring Break has ended, and it's a sprint to the finish.  This week contains beginning of the week meetings, and things will be hectic for another 10 days or so.

I'm a bit under the weather in terms of stamina from last week's surgery, but I know that it could be a lot worse.

Layover

I usually have appropriately timed layovers, but for whatever the reason on this trip my layover in Atlanta lasts for hours.  So I splurged on a day pass at the Delta Sky Lounge.

There is a lot to be said for a comfortable seat, table, and power outlets.  I have been much more productive than I ever thought I would be, minimizing the work that I will need to do in my hotel.  I am usually ready to relax in my hotel room, not ready to work.

Spring Conferences

I am so worn thin approaching a conference in March that it is hard to picture it as anything other than an escape from my home responsibilities.  There is always the joy of being primarily responsible for no one other than myself, but I am usually frayed thin by March.  The conference is usually tiring (driving, evening/morning/afternoon meetings, driving) but this one should be a bit more leisurely, if I can finish preparing for it (class preparation, committee work, etc.).

Overworked

For whatever reason it's been one of those weeks where I don't feel confident at the start of the day that I'll be successful. For me success is based on preparation, and I've been running low on time to be ready for my commitments.  Sleep loss and a general pressure to always be on task is taking its toll.  Thankfully I have a conference coming up.  It adds to the workload but while I'm there it should be a break.

Another Semester

We began our Spring semester today.  It always seems less hectic to do than I anticipate.  Probably because I usually let my first classes out early since the students haven't done the reading.

Before any work is graded there is the honeymoon period.  Students trying to show respect always lifts my spirits.  Being around other people who like what I do certainly helps my self-esteem more than being by myself.

Back in Town

I'm back from my annual January conference.  The conference was a disappointment personally but not professionally.  I had really been looking forward to exploring San Antonio but it was cold and rainy.

Now I have two weeks to get a lot of things done.  Based on my history, I'll be unproductive for the first part and then very efficient as I begin to panic.

It is so hard to focus without panic adrenaline.  I need to remember this in my dealings with students who have the same issue.