Scottie,
I understand your feelings. I have had to deal with my heart all my life. And when I first started teaching I had wondered if I should tell my principal that I even had a heart problem. But as it turned out, the first principal I had knew me from my childhood and had no qualms about hiring me. The second principal I had I did not tell. However, on the first day of the new school year I found out that one of my references told her that I had heart problems (that REALLY bugged me!). However, she hired me, too. My third principal (in as many years) was our assistant principal last year. So he already knew about my heart, especially after I had to have emergency pacemaker surgery in the middle of the year last April. At the beginning of the year I felt like he was hovering over me, almost looking over my shoulder. I was probably just paranoid, because he was giving a teacher friend of mine a hard time when she had to go to the dr about her MS. However, when I had my episode on Friday that sent me to the ER, I felt better that the office staff already knew, so I wouldn't have to explain that on top of what was currently happening.
I do have students that tell me my scar looks "gross" but I just explain to them that if I didn't have it I wouldn't be here, then change the subject. Most of my students know I have some sort of heart problem, but I don't think they really think of it as an immediate threat. They just think it's "cool" that all my organs are on the oposite side and that a machine makes my heart beat. And once in awhile I give them a little bio lesson they actually find interesting (and I'm their theatre teacher). I've never had a parent make a comment about my heart problems (other than the parent of my student who HAS heart problems, and that was a positive comment). It stinks that you have. Feel free to vent about those jerks anytime.
I understand your feelings. I have had to deal with my heart all my life. And when I first started teaching I had wondered if I should tell my principal that I even had a heart problem. But as it turned out, the first principal I had knew me from my childhood and had no qualms about hiring me. The second principal I had I did not tell. However, on the first day of the new school year I found out that one of my references told her that I had heart problems (that REALLY bugged me!). However, she hired me, too. My third principal (in as many years) was our assistant principal last year. So he already knew about my heart, especially after I had to have emergency pacemaker surgery in the middle of the year last April. At the beginning of the year I felt like he was hovering over me, almost looking over my shoulder. I was probably just paranoid, because he was giving a teacher friend of mine a hard time when she had to go to the dr about her MS. However, when I had my episode on Friday that sent me to the ER, I felt better that the office staff already knew, so I wouldn't have to explain that on top of what was currently happening.
I do have students that tell me my scar looks "gross" but I just explain to them that if I didn't have it I wouldn't be here, then change the subject. Most of my students know I have some sort of heart problem, but I don't think they really think of it as an immediate threat. They just think it's "cool" that all my organs are on the oposite side and that a machine makes my heart beat. And once in awhile I give them a little bio lesson they actually find interesting (and I'm their theatre teacher). I've never had a parent make a comment about my heart problems (other than the parent of my student who HAS heart problems, and that was a positive comment). It stinks that you have. Feel free to vent about those jerks anytime.
