2 YEARS AGO TODAY . . . MY LIFE CHANGED FOREVER

     It was March 20, 2013, when I walked into my foot doctor's office, and was taken out in a wheelchair! I had Charcot Foot...which was at least 10-12 broken bones in my foot. I spent my last 2 1/2 months of my teaching career in a wheelchair. I was basically laid up for 5 months, and in a boot for 8 months. I retired from teaching after 33 years, and released from serving in the Mount Timpanogos Temple after serving 16 years. I was facing possibly many surgeries, and I thought my life was over! I retired on May 30. Everything worked out (since I missed the deadline) even having insurance after my 6 years of insurance ended...cuz I'm so young!

I was called at the end of July to be in the Stake Relief Society Presidency. My Stake President set me apart, and blessed my that I would be healed! I never had surgery!
Summer was LONG! But, at the end of August, I was given the green light to drive! The next month, my doctor said I could go to BYU football and Jazz games! And my life has been better ever since! That's why I like to post where I am...because I was cooped up soooo long! I love the retired life!

It's still hard to start walking after I have sat a long time...but after about a dozen steps, it's all good. I wear shoes that have a lot of cushion to help with the support. I also wear a brace everyday. I use my fancy cane when getting up in the middle of the night, and I limp slightly. I can live with that!
Love my foot dr. Gary Ridge, and Jill Ridge Roylance, and Elyse Hawks!
Thanks to everyone who helped transport me everywhere in my non-driving days..Lori Willis Chadwick, Don Beckstrand, Annalea Warwood, Ashley Mitchell Kelly, Dixie Howard Mitchell, Condita Washburn, Adonna Iverson , Heidi Dokos Park, Renae Allen Reese, and anyone else I forgot! Also, all my school friends, and especially my 5th grade kiddos! 

I feel that this was all a tender mercy from my Heavenly Father!  Teaching was getting to be soooo hard!  I loved teaching, but it was everything else.  My teammates were not being very nice to me...always getting down on me because my test scores were low.  It was hard when I received parent requests for the kiddos who were low, and the hard boys.  My teammates kept telling me I was a bad teacher, because my scores were low.  I even had 2 boys go for 9 week stints at the "behavior unit."

I don't know what my Core test scores were my last year, but

my Direct Writing Assessment scores were through the roof!!!

The entire grade level is emailed to the teachers, so I could compare

how all the kiddos did.

Six of my kiddos received a perfect score of 30!!!

No kids from any other class received a 30!!!  You have to receive

a score of 18 to pass.  My lowest score was 22!!!  The majority were in the

high 20's!!!  But, did my teammates acknowledge this?  Are you kidding???

Not a word!  Oh, well!!!

Alpine Elementary still receives a "B" for their grade.  "B" when I was there,

"B" since I've been gone.  (Lowest grade in the Lone Peak Cluster)

I was also working on school stuff for HOURS!!!  I usually worked on school stuff 

until 11 or 12.  I used to get up at 4:30 to be swimming at the Rec Center by 5.

My last 2 or 3 years, I still got up at 4:30, but instead of swimming, I worked, and would

arrive at school by 7:30.  

I still loved the teaching, and had some great kiddos my last few years.

I miss the association with them on a daily basis, but not the other.

I see all my retired friends once a month for lunch...way more than I saw

them while still teaching!

Blood pressure and blood sugar are waaaay down!

It took me until about March of my first year out, that I can sleep in,

and not feel guilty!  I have never been soooo happy in my life!

Doing what I want, when I want.  Living in a gorgeous condo.

Being with nieces and nephews and their kids...etc.
And I LOVE making an appointment, and not having to say,
"after 4:30!"

It's almost too good to be true...knock on wood!

I almost don't even remember teaching...but when I do, it's all the

good memories!

Presenting . . .

All the different forms of transportation and

Footwear . . .

 Wheelchair

 Secretly cleaning out my room on Memorial Day.

Lots of help from the cute kiddos...Oakley, Jaycie, Addie, and Preston.

Also...Ashley, Laurel, Mike, Katie

Helping the day before were McKay, Lori, Cole, Haley, and Lily.

Don was a great help the last 2 days...bringing his truck,

taking me and stuff home, and packing it downstairs!

Crutches
(Officially the official day of retirement)

Store Scooter
Woooohoooo!  

Holy Cow!  This was fun!!!

The boot

Shayla's soccer game

Boot over pants

Camry and Katie's birthdays

 Cierra and I comparing boots.

(Look at the twinners in front of us!)

Hahahaha...this is a picture I took looking at my feet.

I'm pushing a cart at WalMart...first outing without my boot!
(Notice how the right shoe is cleaner?  That was my boot foot!)

 Meet my new shoes!

(Dr. Scholl's)

I wear this brace everyday over my sock, and before
I put my shoe on.

Fancy schmancy cane...so helpful in middle of night.

Next up?  Kidney stones.
(Issues since 2001)