Saturday, July 28, 2012

Good News, Bad News

The good news is that I got the job!! Beginning this fall, I will be a Part-Time Lecturer in the Department of Women's and Gender Studies at a branch of New England State University. I only have T/Th open in my teaching schedule right now, so I can only teach one course in the new department, but this will change in the spring. For the fall term, I'll be teaching a special topics course, one that I get to build from the ground up, and they're looking for me to continue doing more of this in the future. I learned quite a bit from the interview last week, and it looks like the department has a good deal of administrative support. This is a great opportunity for the present, but an even more amazing job because of the potential it offers for the future. If things go very well, and I am patient and can prove myself indispensable, successful in the classroom, a team player, and effective at securing additional financial support for work the department does, this spot could turn into a full-time--if not a tenure-track--position. I'm grateful and excited about this new direction, and even more thrilled that it will allow (also require) us to move to 5-day/week childcare! Yay for the chance to work every day!!

The bad news is that I have uterine (endometrial) polyps. Almost two weeks ago, I noticed some spotting after Hubby and I had sex, and when light bleeding continued the next morning, I just thought it must be my period starting a bit earlier than usual. During church, I noticed that I needed to rush to the bathroom to attend to...ahem, some lady business. Not only was the bleeding heavy, but I passed a clot so large (bigger than a golf ball) that it felt like I was delivering something (-0- chance of pregnancy). The bleeding and clot passing continued for the next 48 hours, with me going through the heaviest tampon and pad they make every 60-75 minutes, sometimes bleeding through both and my clothes. I was left to pretty much lay in bed, sometimes not even having the energy to go up and down the stairs. I saw my doctor on Thursday, and she ordered some blood work, then my ultrasound was yesterday. The radiologist has not given the official results, but the U/S technician was able to show me at least one polyp and measure it.

The usual treatment, according to my doctor, is a D&C. I've never had one of these, but I know they're relatively common. This, however, doesn't make me feel any better. It still requires general anaesthesia, a half day in the hospital, and extensive cramping. I just feel like this is one more thing added to a very long and growing list of shit--medical or otherwise--that I have to worry about and deal with. I'm supposed to build a brand new course from scratch, prep for a course I've never taught before, stay home with the girls each day (except Tuesday), figure out when I'll have back surgery, help out with our church's vacation Bible school in a couple weeks, get Eliza ready for kindergarten, take a one-week trip to Home State to visit both my mom *and* my biological dad (in neighboring state), etc., etc. I'm just overwhelmed with everything, and I feel like I have absolutely zero time to get anything accomplished. One day, the semester will begin, and I'll be expected to have all my shit together, and I just don't know how that's going to happen.

5 comments:

p-duck said...

hugs....

M said...

Cancel the trip. You need to take care of yourself. Your parents will understand. If they don't, they will get over it. And bow out of VBS. they will also understand.

AcadeMama said...

M: I really, truly can't cancel the trip home. My Dad paid for the entire trip, and it's important mainly because it is the first time I've visited any home of his in more than 20 years. Bowing out of VBS, however, might be possible. I've purchased a ton of supplies, and depending on how much help they already have, I might be able to recuse myself.

L said...

wow... that sounds very overwhelming! I hope you can get out of VBS and that the trip home is a good one. I'm really sorry about the health issues and I'll be praying that they'll be resolved soon as well!

And I'm thrilled to know that the new job has so much potential!! that's awesome!

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry I missed all this. AcadeMama, this is always the way when you get something you've really wanted and waited for, there are obstacles.

You've overcome so many!

It gets harder before it gets easier. I am guessing by now most of the really hard stuff - D&C, getting kids back in school and settled, handling all your double commitments are under way - and soon, very soon, you will have just the one job, the one you've wanted.

Hang in there, AcadeMama. It gets easier. It does.