This is a dreadful time for college teachers. Assignments are piling up, students are anxious for their marks, final examinations must be set and as the end of term approaches, stress levels are on the rise everywhere.
AN UNNERVING EXPERIENCE
Plus... yesterday, I gave a speech about my mental health history and my life since my 1971 graduation from Seneca to a class of students, not my own, as part of the brand new Seneca Alumni Speakers Series. I was the second Alumna to speak. This was a first and not unnerving. (More about that later.)
Angela is chugging along. Her memory, after four bilateral electroconvulsive therapy treatments is becoming troublesome. "I have to write everything I have to remember to do on Post It notes," she told me last night. She sounded a little groggy after taking some of her nighttime meds.
The problem with that system, she explained, is that she can't always remember where she puts the Post Its. I suggested she keep a journal and write everything in one place, but then I thought. What happens if she can't find that journal?
"I can't remember how much I owe on the new motorcycle I just bought and I had to call the dealer and ask," she said.
ANGELA'S MEMORY
On the plus side, her mood is good. So today, when she sees her psychiatrist, she plans to discuss whether she should continue with the bilateral treatments for another three and a half weeks or go back to unilateral ECT.
"I'd like to continue with bilateral, but the memory loss is annoying. I have things I have to do that demand memory," she said. "Right now, I'm not erasing any emails because once they're gone, they're gone."
So we'll see. You'll be the first to know. Promise.
TIME OFF TO MARK
Meanwhile, I'm taking the today off and Friday, too – to mark, mark, mark. I simply have to get all my marking finished or my students will murder me.
You don't want that to happen, do you? On second thought, don't answer that. :)
So, I trust you'll understand. And incidentally, that's why I haven't been responding with my usual regularity to your comments. The end is in sight, though. After April 28, I'll be a free woman. For a while. Maybe. Who knows?
Speak soon. We're living in historically exciting times.
Have a healthy meantime.
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