Page 247 - She's One Crazy Lady!

that I should go back in January 2003, even though I was going off “ for reconstruction. I hadn’t mentioned ill-health retirement but he did.
Quite openly he said I wouldn’t get it – how could anyone say that I was too ill to be permanently unable to work? (I had read up on this... I could ‘work’ but not as a teacher; if I were to teach again my Teachers Pension would be stopped with immediate effect.) I expressed my fears that the LEA didn’t want me back – he said it was their problem. I had to trust him but what twists and turns would there be on the horizon now? When I left, and he was recording his recommendations, he looked up, smiled and said his door was open should I need to go back to see him.
Back to the meeting with the LEA and my Union Rep. who was brilliant. Dr W had sent in his recommendations. One of the Senior Education Inspectors updated me on the position of the school, something that had rarely happened in the previous 18 months. I was told that numbers at the school were rapidly falling and the intake for the next academic year was very low. Knowing what the outcome of this would mean, I still asked him. Closure.
Now, to cut a long story short, with the LEA having received Dr W’s recommendations I was told that I was able to go back in January ’03 on a gradual basis with them finding me some training and that a meeting would be set up with the Acting Head. How things change!! Even though they knew I was due to have my breast reconstruction done in February (one of the education inspectors earlier suggesting it was a ‘cosmetic’ procedure – I put him right!), I could still go back prior to this. There was no mention of ill-health retirement. The meeting with the Acting Head about my return took place and being very professional, even though I didn’t agree with all that was said, I went along with it and accepted that in the month I was back I would attend a lot of courses and arrange some work shadowing with other Heads. I was told I could teach groups of children, help out with the special needs children, and listen to readers. It was a start. I was categorically told I was not to step on the Acting Head’s toes.
Christmas was approaching.
It was imperative that I spent time with Sue, who by now was quite poorly.
Why Sue? Why now? Why so soon after her treatment? Only a couple of weeks ago, she had been out fundraising with me; we had done a sponsored walk around Pitsford Reservoir, we had talked a lot – we used to talk cancer non-stop – and we had laughed! Now, she was dying. Why so quick? The realities of cancer were staring me in the face and it affected me deeply, selfishly knowing how much I would miss her. Sue wasn’t afraid of talking about how she felt; she wasn’t worried about herself; she wasn’t afraid of dying but was worried and upset about what she was leaving behind – a wonderful partner and four wonderful children. My heart went out to her and to her family. I assured her I would do all I could to support her, be with her and listen to her. For now, she wanted me to go with her to the hairdressers!
...we had talked a lot – we used to talk cancer to death – and we had laughed! Now, she was dying.
Why so quick?”
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