Endings and Beginnings...

 

Summer is here (although it doesn't feel like it in my neck of the woods) and it is very clearly a time of endings and beginnings.  

Today is the last day of my son's junior year of high school.  It has been a challenging year.  The first full in person school year since he was in middle school.  A year with an AP class (which he did very well in) and an honors class (which he did okay in).  Junior year has ended and his last year of high school is about to begin.  

As with every year, this one has its summer assignments.  He already has an intense one from his AP Human Geography teacher.  It definitely is challenging, so I'm going to push him (and most likely fail) to get him working on it soon.  He also has a summer reading assignment, but he's not sure what that is.  There is the reading assignment for English students (in general) and there is a reading assignment for AP Lit and Composition.  My son was recommended for the AP course, but he has not been assigned to the classroom.  (Yes, I looked and I saw the rooster that currently is in place and his name is not on it.)  SUPPOSEDLY (according to the administration), class placement is not yet complete (even though the school year is).  Per the response I received from his "guidance" counselor:  "Regarding AP summer assignments, students will receive communications from teachers once teachers receive their rosters for AP classes. That should occur over the next few weeks."  This doesn't answer the questions that I asked. (Is he in the class?  If not why?)  I know that putting together a schedule for hundreds of students is a challenge, but if you're going to hand out assignments, shouldn't the students be assigned to the class PRIOR to any assignments being made?  And if the student doesn't "make the cut" for the recommended class, shouldn't the family be told PRIOR to the end of the year?   (And YES, I'll be happy when all of this ends...and I'll most likely be complaining about the beginnings of higher education at this time next year.)

My son is not the only one who is going through an ending/beginning phase; my mother is also.  After over two weeks in the hospital, yesterday she ended her stay there and began a stay at a local (to her) rehabilitation center.  (Actually only about a mile and half away from the hospital and very convenient for me to get to from the highway).  How this will work out, no one is sure.  The palliative care social worker that I was working with at the hospital was surprised that she was accepted due to the fact that her calorie intake was so low.  My mom is (physically) weaker than she knows.  With that said, I've tried to set up expectations with the rehab.  The goal is to get her stronger through eating (I hope) and some physical therapy.  It would be ideal if she was able to walk with a walker so that she could move from place to place in house.  However, that might not be realistic.  If she is unable to handle the rehab, after a certain amount of time (I haven't defined how many days yet; it really is too soon to know), I will have her come home and set up hospice care. That's not the outcome that I want, but it may be what will happen.

My mom has faced some significant health challenges over the past year.  When I look back and review all that has gone on, I feel like I should have been better prepared.  But is anyone ever truly prepared for illness and aging issues?  (And if you are; kudos to you and feel free to share your genius with me.) We are at a crossroads and no one (not even my mother) knows which path will be taken.

This is a time of endings and beginnings.  I'm taking a deep breath and walking forward.