Page 251 - She's One Crazy Lady!

write about? Above all, I was to mention that it was the circumstances and the present condition of the school that were contributing to my current state of health. Dr W indicated he would support my application.
Yes, I’d had enough and wanted to rid my life of this ongoing saga.
June 20th 2003:
And so, my meeting – on my own, with the Personnel Officer from the Local Education Authority.
Diary: “I’m writing today’s entry in blue ink, to match the colour of the air! At the time of writing I am in a foul mood, upset, angry, frustrated, let down and alone. I’d made some brief notes for the meeting and was feeling confident, open-minded, anticipating that they would have come up with some options. How wrong could I be! He said my Union Rep had written to him urging him to process my ill-health retirement forms as quickly as possible – news to me! My Union Rep had told me to wait to see what options I would be offered. Words can’t describe how I felt then... there was no compassion from the personnel chap, he was heartless and it was very, very evident I was a thorn in their side and they didn’t want me back. He said that if I was fit for work in September it was unlikely they would allow me back to Highfields; that the Governors could start proceedings NOW to terminate my contract and that any ‘package’ that may be offered would be non-negotiable. He argued that I’d had my chances last September (’02) and that there were no positions now – so they would be quite happy to send in a supportive letter with my application. I really felt, and was made to feel, that I was the villain in all of this! Why? Because of the bloody mess the LEA allowed the school to get in when I was first off. That, and cancer, had cost me my job. All this IS sending me loopy! What are the conse- quences if my application is successful / is not successful? BASTARDS!”
More official letters to write, forms to fill in and my long, long letter of application – probably the hardest letter I had ever written – written on June 28th – exactly two years to the day I was diagnosed with breast cancer – the day I met the Queen.
People were telling me, “Go out and enjoy life,” “You’ve battled enough.” If only they knew what was really happening.
I had asked to see the medical reports from Dr Lawrence, Dr W and the Personnel Officer (who wrote: ‘This must be the hardest decision a Headteacher ever has to make!’ It made me laugh. What did they know? How much did they care?)
Mid-August 2003
Eventually, with forms completed, all these and supporting letters were sent off.
“Words can’t describe how
I felt then... there was no compassion from the personnel chap, he was heartless and it was very, very evident I was a thorn in their side and they didn’t want me back. ”
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