I returned to school yesterday, and while my back is still bothering me, I am no longer an 80-year-old man unable to walk normally or bend at all. I still need to be careful, but the pain is much reduced and thankfully I am able to carry on fairly normally.

Of course, having missed an entire week of school, I am waaaay behind in my end-of-the- marking period chores, the bane of all teachers! Although I am supposed to hand in 2nd marking period grades tomorrow morning, I am giving my last test of the marking period to 4 of my classes tomorrow and Thursday, so I will hand in my grades Monday as part of the “grade verification” process. My authorization for this came last Monday morning, when I was lying on a cot in the nurse’s office, virtually unable to move, my blood pressure slowly rising from its low point of 96/62, when the principal ordered me to take the next two days off, stating, “It’s not the end of the world, you know,” to which I replied, “No, it’s the end of the marking period.” He laughed and gave me permission to hand in my marking period grades as verifications (which I am sure will not please the Guidance Department, but I am a bit of a rebel who rarely pleases them anyway).

And I am trying harder than ever to stay calm. My chiropractor told me 19 years ago that stress was the primarily cause of my lower back pain, and this back strain was likely no exception–which the x-rays tend to support, although I have not yet gotten back the results of the other tests my medical doctor send me for. It is difficult to relax with my difficult teaching load this year, but I have a very enjoyable home life, some fabulous students who spend lots of time chatting with me both in the Math Lab and online, and a great life overall. So I’ll just have to try a tiny bit harder!