On next Tuesday I will be interviewed by an insurance agent concerning my claim but I will do it by telephone at my lawyer's office. All my other interviews of the past I had to be really up and positive and very professional. Now I have to speak about all the negative things to do with my medical situation. My lawyer will help me because sometimes I am in a fog or I get emotional. So I am sure it will progress along as it ought to in our universe.

I forgot to mention the way in which my tongue always feels- as though an alligator is residing in there.There is a strange heavy, dull taste and drinking lots of water does not really help. the surface of the tongue is very rough and I have to use mouthwash alot. I brush my teeth several times a day but of course my teeth are purchased teeth so perhaps that also prevents the saliva from rolling about. It is very annoying. Maybe I could eventually draw a cartoon using some of these ideas.

potential good news

My insurance company got in touch with my lawyer and they have decided to waive the lateness of the claim and proceed to look at the medical docs. of which I have files upon files. Thanks to Kirk and Jack and other members of my support group who encouraged me to proceed when I was uncertain about what to do.

I stayed six years at Garden Hill. I lived across the lake at Stevenson Island for four years and crossed to the other side daily by a variety of methods.

Positive memories of my job at Garden Hill
-when I went to the interview the one man asked how soon I could pack
-I received a travel cheque in a timely manner to get there asap
-my vp met me at the airport right away and he drove me over the ice road
-the highschool staff was cordial and friendly and supportive
-having luch in the Home Ec. room every day was a highlight
-my junior high students gave me a hard time and then did a turn around and did very well for the final exam
-I left at the end of June and decided to come back in November and they hired me very quickly
-The Director of Education, Mr. Nelson Mckay was always a very gentle and good hearted person who treated his staff with respect and courtesy
-I have fond memories of all my students, Grade 4, Grade 2, Junior High, Senior High,
-the young students were full of life and energy and enthusiasm
- the older students were quiet and maybe too passive at times but there was always the one or two who would speak up and say what was on their mind
- the students had so many challenges because of tragedies in the community and they rallied and stood firm with each other
-other teachers were a delight to be around
-it was a pleasure to watch and listen and observe the variety of characters who came up north and no doubt I was at the top of the list
-I have to repeat once again how the highschool staff had so much fun giving me a fun time with their good natured teasing and joking and even though I did not understand the native language they always included me and I enjoyed the flow and movement of the language and I could read alot of body language
-they always used enough English when I was around so I did not feel that I was left out of the loop
-one time when I had an emotional breakthrough the school counsellor and another staff member took me aside and gave me prayers and moral support
-hey, the pay cheques never bounced
-I grew as a teacher just at that crucial time of my life when something on the horizon was going to take me away from a job I loved
-I loved the northern landscape, and the sound of the crunch on the snowy ice road, the hoar frost gently hanging on the mighty spruce and pine trees, the amazing sunrises and sunsets, the flow of the water as it moved through the seasons surrounding my island home from water to ice and then the inevitalble return to the same and yet subtly different condition and circumstance
-the beauty and horror of nature that gives birth to both joy and depression
-how I miss the north

I feel stress from waiting to hear the results of claims. However I feel that I am improving my eating habits despite a very invisible appetite and my daughter and I have a New Year agenda to increase the quality and volume of fruits and vegetable and sometimes I take my grandchildren swimming because I have to push myself at something.

How do I feel today- when I go to do a task such as using the computer even now I get easily irritated or anxious about simple procedures. A few weeks ago I had large red spots all over my legs at a variety of areas especially my ankles and then I had a huge, bright red rash on my upper legs, very much on the surface of the skin, raised and bumpy, I took a picture of it with my cellular phone and showed the picture of the images to my weekly nurse, then I feel fatigued after very simple errands and then there is that red bruised area in a private area which is noted in my files. The dr. reduced my meds so the spots have almost disappeared. I will see the nurse on Wednesday for more blood work and an evaluation.Also I get very emotional with my teenage daughter-Is it the disease, the meds or just parental concerns or a combination of everything.