Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits

Teaching with Heart and Creativity

Today I Celebrate Being in Remission!!!

 It has been 14 years since I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. My symptoms started my first year of teaching.  I had always been an
athlete and thought I was out of shape at first.  4 months later in
February, I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis (MG). If you are unfamiliar with MG it is a disease where your voluntary muscles do not receive the messages from the brain that they need to function properly.  It can look very different from person to person, but for me I had trouble walking properly.  It felt like I was walking through cement.  Getting dressed, brushing my hair, speaking, chewing, using my limbs was difficult.  I had to take muscle stimulants every three hours.  They would wear off.  I taught from a chair and had to take breaks.  My eyelids drooped and my speech would slur if not on meds.  Resting helped so I would sleep when I got home.  Trying to put a pan on the stove from the cupboard was a monumental task.  Holding a diet coke would result in a spill…and then tears and frustration.  I am SO lucky that it was only about a year of living that way before surgery.  I had a
thymectomy (removal of my thymus gland) in June when my first year of
teaching ended…5 months later I was off of my muscle stimulants and
symptom free.  Now I am left with a 7 inch scar on my chest. (not
pretty-not done very well) I hide it with necklaces, scarves (one that
has giraffes!), and sometimes I don’t even hide it at all. It’s just a
part of me.  So I celebrate
not being sick and not having symptoms every February!   Some people live with it and surgery does not help.  Thankfully for many surgery does help.  It sure did for me.  So today is a celebration day for me!

**School Related Part of my Post!!!!
We had take your family to school day yesterday and let me tell you
it was a LONG day but I had the most fun after school at our first ever
indoors winter carnival. (fund raiser)  The parents came during school
for a magic show (about character) then an hour classroom visit, and
finally a picnic lunch outside!  It was COLD and WINDY for our picnic,
and there were lots of tears shed for parents not able to make it.  That
part was NOT my favorite.

 But the after school carnival
turned out wonderfully! We were dog tired but the kids were so excited
to be back at school and playing games.  They spent tons of money, the
turn out was amazing, the kids were ecstatic so it all ended
wonderfully.  I did come home from school 13 hours after I left for
school in the morning so you can imagine that I was in bed shortly
after.  The only draw back was that my own personal kids “won”
goldfish.   In.A.Cup.  So when we got home from our 13plus hours day, we
had to set up fish tanks.  My son kept saying his goldfish was his best
friend. 

Well…his goldfish did not make it through
the night ya’ll.  We had a funeral this morning and will be heading to
walmart to buy some new best friends.  Happy Weekend!

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    2. Congrats on being healed:) I had no idea!!! The fish….bummer!!! One time when my daughter was in about 1st or 2nd grade she had a parakeet and it died….me being the super mom that I thought I was ran off to the store and bought another and snuck it in the cage thinking she would never know….well, she did, right away!!! Dummy me:/ She was fine with it…I was the spaz!!! Have a happy fishy day!

      4th Grade Frolics

      Reply

    4. Wow! Fourteen years- amazing…If I were you I would celebrate the scar- get like a funky tattoo around it….accentuate it- get a cool saying tatted on…
      hee hee
      Surgery back then was like they let a 4th grader stitch you up when they were done!! I had a cyst removed off of each wrist and it looks like a botched suicide attempt- or a craft kit for a 7 year old!!

      and OMG we sent a fish to fish heaven last night too! After he put him in the toilet, it flinched a little-{shh…I don't think he was all the way to the light.,,,too late now, Ethel!!!!}
      Staci

      Going Nutty!

      misssquirrels@yahoo.com

      Reply

    5. ohmiword, Regan. I got the chills reading this. My grandma was diagnosed with MG about 3 years ago. I know the effects of MG first hand…so scary and so sad. Sadly, Grandma wasn't strong enough to fight it…she passed away last August. I've never heard of anyone talk about this disease before. Just brought tears to my eyes. Bless your soul. Praise Jesus that you are in remission!!! We have such a GREAT God!!! SO happy for you! Thank you for sharing this story!!!!!
      XOXO
      Cara 🙂
      The First Grade Parade

      Reply

    7. Sweet Reagan:
      If I didn't think you were awesome before (which I did), you are now super duper awesomely awesome in my book…
      My goodness, Reagan. What a triumph. Your upbeat (hysterical!) attitude and sense of humor would never let anyone guess you had conquered such a adversary.
      WOW. A thymectomy. I have never heard of that. It sounds major (even more major after I just looked it up). Yet, your post makes it sound like just another day in Reagan's life… You are so brave.

      I think trials and challenges like this make us appreciate all of the goodness in life. And I am so glad you celebrate your recovery every February (the month of happy hearts).
      YAY FOR YOU!

      I am humbled.
      And so thankful you are healed.

      Kim
      Finding JOY in 6th Grade

      Reply

    11. Reagan, Thank you for sharing! The more we share with one another, the tighter knit our blogging community becomes. You, my dear, have walked through fire and survived. At the time it was awful; but now you are a stronger, more appreciative person because of it.
      Take care,
      Camille
      An Open Door

      Reply

    12. I totally remember you emailing me about this. I am so happy and relieved and thankful that you are in remission. I can't imagine how that must have felt for you. HOW SCARY! God is so good — and I think you should celebrate big time!! 🙂 BIG HUG FROM ME TO YOU!!!!!!!!
      Your day was soooooo long!! YIKES! But it sounds like fun!!
      Fish in a cup??? One of our kinder teachers gives away goldfish to her kids at Open House. The parents can't stand it.
      A Teeny Tiny Teacher

      Reply

    13. I am also so happy that you are in remission!!!!!!!!!!!

      I remember when I was in school, we had a Fun Fair every year. It sounds like your carnival. I sort of want to bring it up to my principal, but on the other hand I don't really want to take on the giant task of setting that up… hmmmmmm. 🙂

      Marvelous Multiagers!

      Reply

    17. How absolutely wonderful that you are better now. I can't even imagine what that must have been like for you. Be proud of that scar and let it be a reminder of how tough and wonderful you are!

      Jodi
      fun-in-first.blogspot.com

      Reply

    18. I had no idea Reagan…congratulations on being in remission. I am so very happy that the surgery worked for you–I can't imagine what that must have been like! Congrats again…not only are you an inspiring educator, but an inspirational person as well.
      Kristen

      Reply

    26. Oh man Reagan, I don't know how I missed this post! Congrats, congrats, congrats on being in remission. That all sounds VERY tough. How wonderful to put it in the past.

      Goldfish – in.a.cup. – do not sound that fantastic. Especially after that long of a day! My daughter got one of those giveaway goldfish way back when – when she was probably a 1st grader. That thing lived for something like 5 years! How can that be?
      ❤ Dragonflies in First ❤

      Reply

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