Hello from Beach Runner

[Beach Runner]

A few of you might be wondering why BR, one of of the most prolific posters on SoWal.com/bb, has disappeared. Some of you might be happy about this. LOL.

I fell and fractured my L3 in March. I went to a local doc who said it was a minor fracture and nothing to be concerned about. He said to just wear the back brace he gave me for 6 weeks, come see him again then, and it should be healed. Well, a few days later I started having excruciating pain. I decided to get a second opinion and went to a spine specialist in Atlanta. Turns out I had a serious issue with my L3 and needed surgery ASAP. I was on bed rest at home in excruciating pain with a CNA caring for me until last Friday when the doc's office was able toclear out his schedule for me to have surgery. I was released from the hospital on Tuesday, and a CNA is caring for me while hubby works.

The surgeon says I will be in pain and/or discomfort for about 6 weeks, then intermittent pain for at least three more months. Sometimes the pain meds make me pretty out of it, so it takes me a while to compose a post. So I just don't post then.

The good news is that I haven't missed a single class. I came up with the idea of teaching via Skype from my bed at home. I can give my lectures via Skype, my students and I can talk to each other and ask questions at any time, I share my screen with them so that everything that is on my monitor at home can be seen by my students in the classroom. Exactly like it would be if I were physically in the classroom. Yesterday I gave a test, I was on Skype, and anytime the students had a question about a particular problem on the test, they could ask it immediately. Everyone thinks this is pretty cool.

So steel1man, I know we owe you a Championship Party for the SoWal Pick'ems. As soon as I have an idea when I'll be well enough to plan it, I'll get back to you with an email.

 

[librarian]

A few of you might be wondering why BR, one of of the most prolific posters on SoWal.com/bb, has disappeared. Some of you might be happy about this. LOL. I fell and fractured my L3 in March. I went to a local doc who said it was a minor fracture and nothing to be concerned about. He said to just wear the back brace he gave me for 6 weeks, come see him again then, and it should be healed. Well, a few days later I started having excruciating pain. I decided to get a second opinion and went to a spine specialist in Atlanta. Turns out I had a serious issue with my L3 and needed surgery ASAP. I was on bed rest at home in excruciating pain with a CNA caring for me until last Friday when the doc's office was able toclear out his schedule for me to have surgery. I was released from the hospital on Tuesday, and a CNA is caring for me while hubby works. The surgeon says I will be in pain and/or discomfort for about 6 weeks, then intermittent pain for at least three more months. Sometimes the pain meds make me pretty out of it, so it takes me a while to compose a post. So I just don't post then. The good news is that I haven't missed a single class. I came up with the idea of teaching via Skype from my bed at home. I can give my lectures via Skype, my students and I can talk to each other and ask questions at any time, I share my screen with them so that everything that is on my monitor at home can be seen by my students in the classroom. Exactly like it would be if I were physically in the classroom. Yesterday I gave a test, I was on Skype, and anytime the students had a question about a particular problem on the test, they could ask it immediately. Everyone thinks this is pretty cool. So steel1man, I know we owe you a Championship Party for the SoWal Pick'ems. As soon as I have an idea when I'll be well enough to plan it, I'll get back to you with an email.

When recovered you should consider doing an article for the USG on your experience- as a USG librarian I see complications of using subs etc with our students when faculty are injured and this seems great

 

[Beach Runner]

When recovered you should consider doing an article for the USG on your experience- as a USG librarian I see complications of using subs etc with our students when faculty are injured and this seems great

The problem for me is that there is no one in this area who knows what I know and thus can teach what I teach. We'd have to get someone from Georgia Tech, but even the grad students at Tech don't have time to drive here and teach my classes because they are busy getting ready for their own exams. A professor from GT certainly wouldn't have the time. So no subs available for me!

 

[carson]

The problem for me is that there is no one in this area who knows what I know and thus can teach what I teach. We'd have to get someone from Georgia Tech, but even the grad students at Tech don't have time to drive here and teach my classes because they are busy getting ready for their own exams. A professor from GT certainly wouldn't have the time. So no subs available for me!

You need to record those Skype lectures, teaching while "happy" could be entertaining viewing later! Get better soon, I had some L3 L4 fusion about 7 years ago, not fun, I can relate.

 

[Beach Runner]

You need to record those Skype lectures, teaching while "happy" could be entertaining viewing later! Get better soon, I had some L3 L4 fusion about 7 years ago, not fun, I can relate.

Oh, yes, I am laughing at myself for some of the errors I've made. Thankfully I catch them and we all laugh together. There's a local cable commercial from the sheriff's office where the sheriff says, "Drugs weel keel ewe!" My students have heard that and laughed when I mentioned it. I then said, "And pain meds while prepping for class after just being released from the hospital weel make ewe make some really amazing errors." Thank goodness I picked up on them as soon as I started class the next AM. I was laughing at myself.

I now wait until after class for the pain meds.

 

[Teresa]

Thanks for checking in BR! We're thinking of you and wishing for a very speedy recovery! Amazing you are able to teach and administer exams from bed. Do you have an assistant or anyone helping?

 

[Beach Runner]

Thanks for checking in BR! We're thinking of you and wishing for a very speedy recovery! Amazing you are able to teach and administer exams from bed. Do you have an assistant or anyone helping?

No. The students login to Skype at the beginning of class. I just open the notes on my laptop that I would normally go over in class, login to Skype, call them on Skype, and select "Share Screen." They see what's on my monitor on their desktop computers in the lab (instead of on the projector when I'm in the lab with them). I explain the notes, they ask me questions while I'm doing that, and I ask them questions to make sure they're keeping up with me. They pick up their tests from my administrative assistant, I stay on Skype while they're taking their tests, and if they have any questions about a problem, they ask me via Skype and get immediate feedback.

 

[Paula]

Hope you feel better soon, BR. i'm sure you want to get back to the beach as soon as possible.

 

[Beach Runner]

Hope you feel better soon, BR. i'm sure you want to get back to the beach as soon as possible.

Oh, yeah!

 

[shakennotstirred]

Feel better soon BR! Since Skype is working so well for you perhaps you can teach from the beach!