Teaching While Undergoing Cancer Treatment...

Even though I spent the better part of the past week and a half on campus preparing for the new school year, classes officially started yesterday and most of my students from last year stopped by to see me during the course of the past two days. Several students commented that they were nervous that I wasn't returning to school but were so excited to see that I was back and disappointed that I wasn't teaching them this year. As they didn't know that I was going through chemotherapy, many students got a bit of shock seeing me sans hair.  (No, I do not wear a wig or any head covering while at school.)  Two students from my Junior class last year (now Seniors) almost got into a physical altercation with a male student who rather innocently asked: "What's with the bald chick down the hall?" From all accounts, my former students went into a rage and wanted to tear him limb from limb. Fortunately, a good friend and colleague of mine was on hand to bring order and reason to the situation. My students are very protective of me and I adore them for it. Although they may have slightly overreacted. 

As exhausting as being a first year teacher was last year, it's nothing compared to being a second-year teacher who is battling cancer and has serious issues with concentrating on anything more intense than People Magazine. Not so strangely though, when I'm in my classroom teaching, I barely notice the nausea, the muscle and joint pain, the neuropathy, the fatigue, the chemo brain. All of those side effects just seem to disappear, but, sadly, return with a vengeance during my off periods or when I arrive home from school. I am completely knackered! That's the power of teaching and doing something you truly love!

This year will be doubly exhausting because I have 5 blocks of Freshman English - four blocks of First Year English and one block of Literacy Workshop I which I co-teach with a colleague. Anyone who teaches Freshman will know how grueling they are to teach and if you've never taught Freshman, just think back to when you were a Freshman. Making that transition from middle school to high school is challenging and you realize that you really don't know anything! That being said, my Freshmen are the most adorable cherubs and I think they appreciate the fact that I was completely upfront and open with them on my cancer battle. It's also a good teachable moment, because whose life has not been impacted by cancer?

I did receive some interesting advice from the head of the English Department which is that I should try to see if I can get a waiver from taking my masters class this upcoming semester, as I am scheduled be in treatment until after Thanksgiving. He believes that traveling down to Boston to attend the class is probably not a great idea and that I might not be up to it.  Fair point and I plan on checking if I can take a sabbatical for a semester. Cancer may just win that battle, but let's hope not the war.

It's nice to be back.