Behind The Scenes

Hiking at Hole-in-the-rock in Phoenix

My plan this fall semester was to finish my Masters of School Counseling.  It will be my second Masters behind the one I got in 2000.  In order to complete the degree, I am required to do an internship in a public school.  My friend, Jeanette, who works in the Boise School District, helped me to find the perfect internship in her school district.  Even though I own a home in the Boise area, I didn't want to move there because I have fabulous long-term renters in my home and I was only planning to be back in the Boise area for six months.  Jeanette offered her home to me as a place to live during my internship.  My plan was to start at Shadow Hills Elementary on 24 August.  As it turned out, I received my diagnosis that week and the internship has been put on hold.

As a result, I am still in the Boise area (Meridian to be exact) and I am still living in Jeanette's home indefinitely.  I wish I could adequately express how much she does to help me and how many sacrifices she makes in my behalf.

She helps me get up, gives me my Lovenox shot in my belly, makes sure I have eaten an adequate breakfast, and goes on a walk around the neighborhood with me each morning all before she leaves for her full-time teaching job at RiverGlen Jr. High.  She leaves her house clean and comfortable for me every day and does almost all of the household chores by herself.  She recently purchased a fancy new mattress for me to see if it would help me sleep better.  She will make or buy any food, smoothie, meal, grocery item if she thinks I may eat it.  She fills my water bottle with ice every few hours just because she notices that it isn't cold anymore.  She goes on walks with me and tries to plan fieldtrips to keep me moving and get me out of the house.

I also appreciate that she takes time to hang out with her friends and family to make sure she isn't constantly playing care-taker to her sick friend.

My family is so appreciative of the beautiful, peaceful home I am living in and the multitude of daily kindnesses Jeanette shows to me.  She is a tremendous blessing to me and to my family.

Thank you so much, Jeanette.