Ramblings of a Midwest Woman

 I remember the last time we had a Friday the 13th. It was in March. We were watching Governor Waltz’s update in my 7th grade English class after lunch. The students waited impatiently to see if schools would close for Covid-19. He said schools would remain open and nothing would change, but over the course of that weekend, we switched the distance learning. Those words were new to us then.  What students cheered for then, now they know the difference, and most of them would prefer to stay in school with their friends and teachers.  I want that too.  Today, we were notified that our school will be shifting to full distance learning after Thanksgiving break. I have so much to do, am losing teaching days, and am sad I won’t get to be in-person with any of my kiddos.  Saying that, I know this is the right thing to do, and I hope after the holidays, we will be able to be together again.  I’ve been lucky to get to know my kids at school and not through a screen,...

My therapist has said it a couple times now, but I'm pretty sure I didn't want to hear it. A possibility? Sure. Confirmed diagnosis? I don't think so. Slow down there for a second. Yet, as this time of year rolls around again - the family holidays and what not - I know deep down she is right.  I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  It's odd and yet liberating to say those words to myself let alone others. I have PTSD, and the traumatic events/time period is from almost exactly ten years ago.  How can something from ten years ago still be messing with my brain?  Perhaps, that may not seem odd to others, having their trauma affect their day-to-day life and demeanor, but I also thought my struggles were mostly, if not entirely, from my already established mental illnesses, depression and anxiety. Yet, it makes sense that all of these intertwine themselves together. I had depression and anxiety before that time period, but the increased symptoms and struggle around this...