Retirement - Am I REALLY Doing This??

"R" Day

March, 2012

Okay, I need to deal with it, today is "R" day.  My husband is driving me to Baton Rogue, Louisiana, to the Teacher Retirement Office for me to fill out my retirement application.  I have dreaded this day, and I have even hoped that a miracle would happen so I would not have to retire at this time.
Unfortunately, despite everything I have tried, I am still very sick, and my doctors and family have finally helped convince me  that retirement is the right decision.  

Naturally, I feel very stressed.  Working with children is my passion.  I have wanted to be a teacher since I was 6 years old, and I have loved teaching. Seriously, I guess I really never thought that much about my teaching career ending. 

The bottom line is, teaching today is very stressful.    I suffer from health conditions that are usually kept at a reasonable level with the aid of medications, diet, rest, and proper exercise. Unfortunately, this school year has been more stressful that usual, and, consequently, the added stress has affected my health in an adverse way. It has now gotten to the point that I have been too busy to get adequate rest, I don't have the energy or time to exercise, no appetite, I am not sleeping well, and I have been sick for several months.  

Why am I retiring?  Simply, I am tired of being sick.  I am tired of coming home and collapsing on the couch every evening in extreme fatigue and pain and resting long enough to grade papers, make tests, lesson plans, etc.  I am tired of missing out on family events every weekend due of illness and the need to "rest up" for the next week.  I am tired of going to doctor visits, having countless medical tests, and taking medications.  I am tired of wearing earplugs when the grandchildren visit because Mamaw has another migraine headache.  Finally, I am tired of being tired!!  I want my life back, so I have reluctantly agreed that retirement is the right decision.

I'll admit, it is a little frightening to think that I will no longer be teaching.  It seems that I have worked and/or gone to school practically all of my life. What will I do with all my time?  I talked to one recently retired teacher, and she said she had plans for crafts and projects when she retired.  Her plans changed, however, when she realized she loves to watch TV!!  She now just sits and watches TV all day long!  That's just not me, so I will have to figure it all out for myself.  I do have lots of hobbies, and people say that will help.

As the retirement application is filled out and signed, I now breathe a sigh of relief. I survived this first ordeal! It's official, I am retiring! 

I am retiring!