Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Hey, Students! Look here to talk with Mrs. Scott!

Hello, Vikings!

I miss spending the days with you, but know you are in good hands with all the teachers and staff there at school. I thought I'd create a special post here so that if you want to write or ask questions, you can do so. I'll check it as often as possible, and hopefully you'll feel like I'm still there with ya...except I won't be taking those recess minutes to share my words of wisdom! (Lucky you!)

Some of you may have heard that I have Leukemia. Yep, it's true. But what I have found out this last week, is that people have very different pictures in their heads about what this looks like, and acts like. The truth is, there are many different types of Leukemia. Mine is called APL, to say the short version. So, what is mine like? Well, I still look the same, except I am wearing my PJs all day (lucky me!). Really nice doctors and nurses come talk to me during the day, they bring me my food in bed, they give me medicine to help me feel better, and I read books, go for small walks around the hospital, and write to you guys! The medicine I take is very special, because it only works on my type of Leukemia. Scientists and doctors have done research with genes and found how to do "target practice" on the bad cells in my body, and eventually reverse the mutation. Pretty cool, huh? So, I'll be gone for a while getting better, but the good news is...I'm getting better.

So, first let's talk about Genes...Heredity...(are you singing yet?) Well, this week I've learned that my genes had a mutation. They changed unexpectedly; I didn't inherit the problem, or get it from an environmental change...it just happened. The genes in my bone marrow (the middle part of the bone) changed a bit so that the blood cells it makes only grow a little bit. Because they did not grow into adult blood cells, they didn't leave the bone marrow to protect my body from sicknesses and made it hard to produce other important types of cells. What this meant for me, was that I would get pale (look a little more white than my white self), I was more tired than usual, and if I got bumped just a little, I would get a nice, nasty bruise.

Other blood cells were also affected, like my white blood cells. They are kind of "retarded" due to the mutations, so they are not able to fight off germs as well. This is one of the main reasons why I need to stay in the hospital. If I get around any germs right now, I will get really sick. Normally, the white blood cells fight off the germs that make us sick, so even if you start to get sick, you'll get better eventually. Not me, for a while. Those retarded white cells don't know what to do with germs, and there aren't that many in my body, anyways, compared to "normal" people. (Yea, we know who the "normal" ones are!) So, over the next few months, the medicine I am taking is getting rid of the mutated and retarded cells, and is helping to fix the mutation in the DNA back to what it was before, so it will produce healthy blood cells again. Pretty amazing.....are you impressed? I sure am!


Hopefully this helps you understand a bit more about why I'm not there with you at school. Recently Mrs. Underwood and Mrs. Steele delivered a package to me....TONS of flowers made of colored tissue! They are so beautiful! They are hanging as garland on the wall, and bunches are in vases all over my room. It looks soooo much better in here. The nurses come in and just stare with smiles on their faces. It's great fun to look at, and makes me happy thinking of you. Thank you for all the work you put into that and also the great letters/valentines. Really. Thank you.

Leave me a comment if you'd like, and I'll try to answer back. If you have stuff you'd like send to me just give it to Mrs. Underwood and she'll get it to me somehow. Be excellent to each other, because I know you are just that. And remember that learning is FUN, no matter what the subject is.

Thinking of you often,
~Mrs. Scott

32 comments:

Tori :) said...

You are wonderful Sarah.

the quirky one said...

I love how simply you put this! It was nice to be able to read this to my kids and have them able to understand what I was talking about! You put it in a nice and simple way and have a wonderfully upbeat attitude about it! Hey, when the chemo starts to kick in and you start to lose your hair, just have fun with it! Not every girl gets to experience the Demi Moore feeling of seeing what it is to be bald! And if you want to have a bald buddy, I bet I could round up some ladies to come shave their heads with you so you aren't the only one in the ward (I know I would sign up! We could donate our hair to Locks of Love and make it a ward activity!)

Hope you have a good day today - we are thinking of you!

Kristina, Scott, Teagan, Garrett, Owen Fife

Sandra said...

We love you, Sarah!

Love-Pass It On! said...

Jojo came home in tears today! We've never seen him cry for a teacher before! We want you to know how much he loves you and has appreciated being in your class! This has been a great year. He has had so much fun with you! We really appreciate all of the help that you have given us! We know how much you love your class and how hard you work!-Thank you!

We also wanted to thank you for the medical update! It was a lot easier explaining your condition to Jojo. He said that he too might want to "go bald"! He said they can all be called "Sarah's Slicker's". (That would be a new experience for us! You know he's a surfer and snowboarder and loves his hair long! I don't know how that will look!)

We just wanted to thank you again for the wonderful teacher that you have been. Thank you for all your help with Jojo and notes to keep me updated. We will miss you. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you always. We pray that you will have a fast and painless recovery and will be able to return to school (or better yet, a vacation to Mexico!) Much Mahalo! -The Ah You's

Amber said...
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Amber said...

Mrs. Scott--

3 cheers for you!!! What a great letter you wrote for your class!! Amber came home today, sad, but well educated as what type of Leukemia you have and how they are going to get rid of it, and even what type of treatment you are receiving!!! She adores you!!! We have also learned that she has some pretty awesome Heavenly connections, so she will make sure there is an army cheering for you on the other side as well as your classroom at Vineyard.! Thanks for being courageous!!!
Debbie Hirchak

Donna said...

Good morning SUNSHINE
Sarah your looking great, I love your smile it brightens by day.
Your a wonderful person and we love you. Hey K C she looking good you are a very lucky man to have her in your life, We love you both.

Amber said...

hey mrs scott! we all miss you and when we herd the bad news we all started to cry and we all hope that you get better soon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amber said...

Hello Mrs. Scott this is the amazing Mike! How are you? Does Lucimia hurt? I am really worried >_<, I hope your ok. I miss you, you are the coolest, nicest and smartest teacher i know! You are my favorite Teacher ever! See ya next year!

Love Mike

Amber said...
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Amber said...
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Amber said...

Dear, Mrs.Scott
When Mr.Tman came in the room and told us you had cancer the whole class started crying. I did tooConnie was really sad. I'm going to miss you a lot and one question my mom and I went on my grades and we saw the mystery thing and it is isn't a higher grade can you fix that? Hope your okay.And write back.

Love Sharon

Amber said...
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Amber said...

mrs. scott, we all miss you at vineyard and we all started crying when we heard the bad news about what happened to you and some of the boys cryied it was sooooo sad but wee want you to know that we are here for you when you want to talk to us or need anything, i hope you have a quick and painless recovery we love you,

love
Tallyn Allred

Amber said...

hi mrs. scott,
we miss you very much when we heard you had
cancer we cried our eyes out I'm probably going to regret that later but it's the truth. we liked it when you said silence I kill you beacuase our spelling word was silence. Write back and HAPPY VALENTINES DAY
love,
zach
p.s. get well

Amber said...
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Amber said...

GO MRS. SCOTT!!!!!! good luck with the chemo and maybe the radiation. if my mom went through both so can you!! love you lots!!! :) :) :) :) :) ;)




kilie!

Amber said...

hi mrs. scott i miss you i hope you can come soon
we all miss !!!! we all started crying we felt like you leaving us. and plus mr. tillman is going to go to
the eagle school that day was a bad day for all of us.
your lucky you get a long vacation plus summer.
i was asking a fieldtrip to the hospitol but we didnt know what hospital you were in. so i have to go now

sincerly jojo

Amber said...

Dear Mrs. Scott
I miss you very much. I wise I could come and see you.You are my favorite teacher.You wre the one who inspierd me to be a teacher like you.I hope I'm the best teacher to my studens like you were to me.Hope you get beter soon and HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!

Sinserly
Ashley
Future Teacher

Amber said...

HI MISS SCOTT HOW ARE YOU WE MISSED REALLY BAD ON FRIDAY THE 8TH. HEY I FORGOT HAPPY VALANTINE DAY.YOUR THE BEST TEACHER EVER AND I AM GLAD YOUR OKAY.WHAT YOUR FAVORITE BOOK AND CANDY BECAUSE ME AND MY ARE GOING TO BUY YOU SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU ARE THE BEST TEACHER EVER IN THE WORLD.

LOVE YOUR STUDENT
KYAIRAH

kcsars said...

Hey Class!
I'm sorry to hear there was so much crying; I'm glad we have that close relationship (I cried when I knew I wasn't coming back to Vineyard this year), but make sure you HYDRATE! We don't want any 5th graders withering away into raisins this year! ;-)
I'm glad you're being nice to each other. Don't just do it for me, though. Do it to make your lives better. You each have such great personalities and talents to help others around you...use those abilities!

It's good to hear from so many of you. Next time I expect some good stories about the Presidents' Day Bash, and even a few good jokes. Keep reading and doing your homework!
~Love, Mrs. Scott

Gina said...

You are such an awesome teacher, Sarah! What a great post for kids and adult alike, to know what you are going through.

The Scotts said...

Hi Sarah and K.C,
This is Garen. I am this many today! (he's holding up 3 fingers) I love you. I have a picture for Uncle K.C.kkffr4 r4p5opp3oeeeewqmcmm955958 mbmbkji3tbmbmbmbbmbmmbmbbmbbmbbmbmbmbmm (he took over typing)udeeduuwrtw33359255855508 I love you, get well soon.

Garen

Annie said...

Hi, this is Joe. It seems we have a problem with all the typos. Hey, I have a joke! Why did T-rex cross the road? Because he was chasing Nanosaur! Are you LOL yet? Try this! 14563328972683620462.574568555.5569666x43655448898.1443515548+(476586.416486368-4546474186741354724.57456741453648)-:- 4187746564841478648523114.68416473561387468=????????? This should take some time! Sincerely,
Joe.

Mariah said...
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jenbadham said...

Hi Sis!
I see you must be a teacher! How fun!! To all your students, I think that Sarah was put on this earth to make everyone happy. She is, without a doubt, the happiest and nicest person in the world! I hope all goes well with your recovery. James and I live in Farmington now, with our five kids, and we are starting paperwork to do another adoption from the Philppines! I am so glad we found you!!! You always were the most wonderful friend.
Love you always.
Sis

The P*dunc's said...

Sarah,
Hi, this is Kristen (Barb's daughter that lives in KY, you know, Mrs. Steele, haha!). You have always been such a ray of sunshine and I always laugh when I am around you! This is no exception (reading all the comments just now). Every single person that knows you, loves you! You are in all of our prayers! And thank you for the excellent explanation of your cancer for 5th grade minds like myself.
Love, Kristen

Mariah said...

Sorry I just looked over my comment and I relize it dosen't make much sence!! Love ya
-mariah

Anonymous said...

Mrs. Scott,

This is Megan Johnson (from 2 years ago). My mom told me you were sick and I felt really upset because you were one of my favorite teachers. I hope you get better really fast! Here's your joke for the day...What do you call a deer with no eyes???? No eye deer. Hahahaha. LOL.

TTFN (Ta-ta for now)
Megan Johnson

Anonymous said...

Sarah--you are a great source of strength and determination. This must be a great test of character. We love you, and you are a great asset to the people around you.

Mariah said...

higshca(my new word fur hi!) i'm kilie not mariah soooo.. what's crackellacken?! you can call me fabio my new name! lol but really! call me fabio please! love you lots!

kilie
FABIO

Anonymous said...

higshca(my new word fur hi!) i'm kilie not mariah soooo.. what's crackellacken?! you can call me fabio my new name! lol but really! call me fabio please! love you lots!

kilie
FABIO