Friday, September 12, I glanced up at the phone and noticed that tiny annoying little red light flashing! Voice mail,voice mail - red light - red light! Forty-eight hours post biopsy. AAAAAhhhh, it's probably just a voice mail from a parent. It could be the doctor. I told her she could leave a message! Maybe that was silly of me! Don't you just love the word silly. It is such a gentler way of saying, "What the heck were you thinking!"

I slowly walked over to the phone, looking across at Mary, my associate teacher and her daughter chatting as they worked to tidy the room for the next day. Enter kindergarten code - "Hi, Janeen this is Doctor Chan. I wish I could be there in person to share this with you, sorry to leave a phone message! But I am afraid the news is not good! It is just as I thought - YOU HAVE TUMOR IN YOUR LEFT BREAST! Once again I am so sorry to leave this message on your voice mail!"
Then why did you! I know I gave you permission- but pleazzzzzeee - I had no idea the biopsy would be positive for cancer.

I wrote down the word "CANCER" on a piece of paper as I struggled to believe the words I had just heard! Mary walked over to take a glance at the paper I was holding in the air! Our eyes filled with tears. Fear clinched at my breast like a vice. How was I going to share this with the parents?. What about my sweet little Kindergartners. What about my son? How will I tell my husband? Dear God in heaven I never expected to hear the words CANCER! Give me strength sweet Jesus!

I glance across the room at my parents and see the disbelief in their eyes. This is difficult for me to share and for these young mothers/fathers to hear. You see, I have been teaching at this school for 14 years. I live in the neighborhood! I can walk, ride my bike or jog (ha) to school. It is a mere 1.4 miles. This is my community, my extended family so to speak. Trader Joes is our favorite meeting place! I hear my name tossed through the air - "Mrs. Elorduy - Mrs. Elorduy! What are you doing here? Don't you live in Kindergarten! You have a whole kitchen there! You can eat in the cafeteria, YUM!"

I always have to chuckle when I picture my husband, myself, my son and our two dogs dining in the cafeteria/multipurpose room - under the "Disco Ball" feasting on cafeteria food! Might not be such a bad idea, it would be good for my diet, the dogs could clean up, no need for a custodian and we would have a variety of rooms available for nap time!

This is why I love my job. The laughter, the imagination, creativity, it's ok to be different, it's ok to cry when it hurts, yes, I still love you even though you just dumped all the fish food in the tank, no that doesn't hurt its just my toe you're standing on, well, yes we kinda need to use a tissue instead of our shirt sleeve!
OK, we are going to the gym for PE now (kindergarten: why would we go to the gym to pee) - I did not say to pee - I said PE, remember Coach, run around, scream, yell, chase, a place to wear ear plugs, the gym, PE! Oooo, yeah!

The world of Kindergarten! What can I say I love my job!

Problem of the Day!

Back to school night went rather quickly this year! Or was it because of the announcement I was about to share my Kindergarten parents. Wait - a hand goes up -please one more question! I hope it is a long one. Nope,just a concerned parent wondering if their child will be able to find their way to the bathroom. I assure him that each child always has a bathroom buddy - not to worry! Well how about this very minute -I need a buddy - will everyone remind me it going to be OKKKKK!!

Looking over at my principal, catching the eyes of my associate teacher, and a prayer for strength- my lips began to utter the words, "I am sorry to say, but I have breast cancer."