Factoring "Hell", Different Pain, and Learning to be Social

I had forgotten how difficult it was to learn how to factor. Granted, for me it just kind of clicked when I learned it because that's how my mind works. But for the kids I am teaching, well let's just say that the majority of the time that is just not the case. I'm not sure why it is so hard to multiply and add, or for that matter know your multiplication facts at all, but it is! I've spent the past few weeks teaching, and reteaching, and reviewing how to factor (and add, subtract, and multiply polynomials). Their test is tomorrow and Monday and I'm slightly worried (actually terrified). There are a handful of kids that just shut down and decided not to do homework, or try at all, which meant they didn't get the much needed practice in. We'll see what happens!

Well I had a migraine this past weekend that decided to stick around for two days, despite medicine. That was not fun, especially because I was trying to be social and actually be a normal human being (more to come on that front). The pain was a reminder of how much worse it can get compared to the daily dull agony of normal life. 

The past two days of physical therapy have been a little rough. I realized how out of shape I was!! My physical therapist had me work balance on my "bad" leg for a while, which wasn't a problem since I can still stabilize pretty well. But then he decided squats in multiple forms would be a good idea. I understand the goal is the build the muscles around what isn't working correctly, but dear lord but the end of yesterday I was sore. I woke up this morning and was still sore and not sure how much I was going to be able to do today. I got through school and went to my appointment. I got through the warm-up, stretching, and balance exercises, I got through 3 sets of squats, but when I had to start doing a modified lunge I lost it! I was on my second set when my muscles started shaking and he realized I had to stop. It was sad!! Granted my hip and side of my leg were killing me, but my quads in general were just sore. Not a fun time. So then he manually worked the muscles that are not right, and now I'm bruised because they were/are so messed up he had to press so hard!! I wish I knew why my body was so messed up and how to fix it without causing more pain!

Learning to be social is an ongoing (and difficult) process for me. You'd think by the time I am 26 I'd feel comfortable meeting people and being around groups of people, but it is still something that I struggle with. I've gotten significantly better, especially since moving, but it is still hard. This past weekend I met my boyfriend's best friend and his wife and then spent the day hanging out with a handful of his closest friends (all with a migraine). It was a lot of fun. We got lunch, saw a movie, hung out at one of the guys places and then got dinner and hung out at his place a bit longer. It was a fun time and I enjoyed spending time with everyone. It was nice to get to know people a little bit better, despite being terrified. I'm not sure if I'm more on edge because of the implications associated with the people I'm meeting/hanging out with or if it is just because I don't know them well, but it was just hard. Not to mention being in extreme pain, super sensitive to light and sound, and not showing it to people is a lot of fun! NOT! It's difficult to hide and I'm sure I was acting differently than I would have normally, which annoys me a bit. 

The next day I was still in pain but had a lazy day and then went out with one of my friends and her boyfriend which was a bit easier for me because I knew them and had been out with them. I'm really just hoping that it gets easier for me to meet new people and feel comfortable. I might be meeting his Mom and brother this weekend, which makes me super nervous! 

We'll see how it all goes! This weekend holds a bunch of grading for sure! Not sure what else is really happening yet. 

School, Valentine's Day, and Pain

The three things in my title are luckily not related at all! I'm sure I could tie them together somehow, but for the most part I try to keep things slightly separate.

School has kept me pretty busy. In Algebra we are on to factoring, which honestly might be the death of me! I didn't realize it would be so difficult to teach, but for some reason adding to one number but multiplying to another is a very difficult concept for students to understand. I think part of why it is so hard for me is that it has been second nature for me for a while so I forgot what it was like to have to learn it. Watching my students go through those struggles reminded me of how painful math can be for some of them and how much they truly dislike it. I'm hoping that some of what is going on in class will stick, at least through exams.

I've had a very relaxing weekend with my boyfriend and Valentine's Day was quite lovely. We celebrated over a few days just because work tends to get in the day of things during the week. Wednesday was our one month, which was just kind of sweet to think about. It shocks me that one month ago I didn't even know him, and now I can't really imagine my life without him. He has been a wonderful addition to my life and makes me smile more than I can even put into words. Alright, I'll stop with all the sappiness! To celebrate Valentine's Day we exchanged presents and then went grocery shopping together and then cooked together. It was a nice way to relax together and share in what tends to be a very one sided individualistic event.

As for pain, well I'm sick of it! This time it's my hip, and according to my physical therapist also my IT bands in my leg. I'm not sure what exactly happened to it, but it's weak and hurts a lot and hasn't gotten better over the past two weeks so the doctor told me physical therapy was next. So I started today and I will be fitting it into my schedule for the next month, twice a week. Not cool! My head has been up and down lately too. I can hide it pretty well and just put up with it, but mix that in with not being able to walk or stand easily and it just makes for very long days.

This week is full of more factoring, speaking at the faculty meeting (oh joy), and normal teaching stuff. I think I am meeting another one of the boys best friends this coming weekend which is slightly terrifying. I'm starting to get better at meeting his friends and/or being around them, but that doesn't mean that its easier for me to think about or actually do.