Sarcoidosis

Ricky had a disease called sarcoidosis. When he was diagnosed at Mayo Clinic they told him he would probably live ten years, but the cousin who sent me this information believes it has been thirteen. I'm glad he's not suffering anymore. He was an organ donor and was able to give his eyes! :-) Ricky was 57.

This came from the stopsarcoidosis.org website-

What is Sarcoidosis? Sarcoidosis is a multi-system disease that causes inflammation of the body’s tissues. Inflammation is a basic, protective response of the body to injury or infection and usually causes warmth, swelling and pain. Inflammation from sarcoidosis is different. In sarcoidosis, the immune system does not function properly and lymphocytes, a type of blood cell, become overactive. These overactive lymphocytes release chemicals which cause granulomas (masses of inflamed tissue or lumps) to form in various organs of the body.

The inflammation of sarcoidosis can occur in almost any organ in the body.The disease name comes from the Greek words 'sark' (meaning flesh) and 'oid' (meaning like) and refer to the disease’s flesh-like tumors that were first observed on the skin of patients with the disease. It is pronounced SAR-COY-DOE-SIS.

What Causes Sarcoidosis? The cause of sarcoidosis is not yet known, there may be several. For example, an abnormal response from the immune system to one or more agents (bacteria, fungus, virus or chemical) may be involved. Genetic predisposition also appears to be important.

It's been a looong time...

Sorry.

I just don't have too much to write about, for some reason.

We've been watching the Olympics, working, I've been going to doctor's appointments...just the same old mundane thing. Well, last weekend wasn't TOO mundane. We froze to death watching the U.S. Men's National Soccer team defeat Guatemala in an international friendly last Sunday. Woo! It was chillly! Dillon and I went to the U.S.'s practice session Saturday afternoon and the players voiced their surprise at the weather (and thanked the fans for coming out and enduring temps "Texans aren't used to."). The game was fun. We walked away with a 4-0 victory. Eddie Johnson scored his first goal in Pizza Hut Park (a soccer-dedicated facility that opened last August). It's too bad it wasn't as an FC Dallas player (he just got traded to Kansas City! Boo-hoo!!). Then again, to score one for the US has to be a great feeling. We'll miss him.

Have any of you watched the Winter Games? We TiVoed the closing ceremonies, but did watch the segment about the black soldier (Vernon Baker) who did so much for the Italians and our country back in WWII. It was such an amazing story. I'm still appalled at what lengths people will go to to avoid things/people who are different. :-( One of the most touching moments was when he was reunited with the Partisan soldier (who was 16 at the time) who helped him in battle.

Well, there is not much else to write. We have spring break in another week and I can't tell you how happy yet bummed I am. I know it's going to go by very fast :p.

It's almost Monday, so I'd better go and get things ready for work (and bed tonight).

Have a great week, all.

Before I forget.....

Rest in peace, Don Knotts and Ricky Gilchrist (Ricky is my cousin (my father's nephew). He passed away Friday night after battling a very rare disease. If you read this, please keep his family in your prayers. His wife is also battling cancer and I know she and his three children are having a rough time right now).

Stand back...

SHE'S GONNA BLOW!!!!!

Ok. So maybe that was too dramatic. Don't panic. I'm O-K. Everything is OOOOO-K.

Actually, I had an epiphany while at work. It's amazing that my mind is able to do anything productive at the moment it did, but wonders never seem to cease.

I think I've nailed down the core of my frustration, as far as my job goes. (Oy, here she goes again, ladies and gentlemen).

I left my 7th period class feeling absolutely morally violated. Yep. It's amazing what these little teenaged critters can do to me, just with their words.

I won't get into detail about the things that passed between my ears (I really should get to walk around with headphones like the other (subconscious) filth-dodgers get to do, but I guess that wouldn't be prudent since my job is to interpret what I hear!). I will tell you that the bulk of the conversation I overheard (dominated by one guy) ran the gamut of drug use and sex. Those are probably the two most overused words when it comes to our fears about teens...well, let me tell you...if that conversation is ANY indication, we should be VERY WORRIED!!! :-(

We were in the library. I wasn't sitting at their table, but across the small area from them (towards the back, where some computers are). I could hear almost every word spoken. I would have been signing those very words had my student not been engrossed in her research on the project they were to be working on. Oh, how I wish I could have tuned them out as she did..... Instead, I tried reading the book I carry with me. I also felt a feeling I haven't really had since one time last year: the urgency to pray.

I prayed, not only for God to block my ears from the things that were invading them, but also for that boy and his friends. It nearly made me cry. I felt so out of control of the situation. I couldn't tell them to stop saying what they were saying. Moreover, I couldn't do what I TRULY wanted: I wanted to go over there and jerk him up and shake him and warn him that he's perpetually throwing his life away each time he does the things he says he does (and the way he spoke, he surely wasn't making it up).

If I were a teacher (or even a librarian, custodial worker, or computer tech), I could have said something to them. I could have at least walked over there and asked them why they weren't working. Instead, I finally caught the kid's eye (with a talent I've honed to a craft: the evil glare) and he just bobbed his head and said, "Hey. How's it goin?" There was some nervous chatter, mixed in with "I don't care.." and then he changed the subject a bit (but it then took another immoral spin, unfortunately). I even took out my notebook and acted as if I were documenting something.

Argh. I realize that, as a teacher, I would be limited as to what sort of "relationship" I could have with my students. I would hope I could "be there for them" at least to say some encouraging things in the classroom (or on their work) or even at parent-teacher conferences.

I'm not saying I'm heading down the educator path, but I'm just saying that this ethical "sit back and blend in with the furniture" thing isn't for me.

Thanks for listening. Emily, if you're reading this, I know you understand.