Presentations and mortality

Today kicked my stress levels up a few notches and that promises to carry on for at least the next couple of days.

I was catching up on a few things and feeling pretty good about myself when the superintendent’s secretary called me aside at about noon and said she needed a PowerPoint presentation prepared for the boss tomorrow. She wanted to see it before the end of the day and I had a 2 p.m. appointment.

Long story short, I got it done. I managed to work with some others and pull some demographics and district data together and wrapped it all up in a darn nice presentation with great photos and everything. I even think I managed to Wow the superintendent a little bit with it, and that made me feel pretty good.

Meanwhile, everyone at home was sick today. Julie, Jordan, Meagan and Katheryn have all come down with something and I haven’t gotten it yet, so I’m a little antsy about catching it. It’s taken them out of commission for several days now and I just can’t afford that. I’m the last man standing at this point. What happens when we all fall down?

Besides, I have to go with the superintendent to help her with the presentation at the trade center. That’s after the breakfast with legislators and after the leadership meeting at the central office. Tomorrow is packed.

On top of all of this, mortality has to rear its head. My brother was diagnosed today with stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma in his left tonsil, soft palate, tongue and lymph node.

I don’t know much about medicine but I’ve been told that, yes, that’s as bad as it sounds.

But I’m not the worrying type. My mother has always said worrying was like sitting in a rocking chair, you expend a lot of energy but you don’t get anywhere.

So I come home and try to put order in the one thing that I have the slightest bit of control over, cleaning the house. I’m washing dishes and straightening and cooking and putting things away and the whole time the kids and Julie just want me to sit down and hold them.

But I’m not in that place right now. I think one reason I’m OCD is to have some control over something when everything around me is spinning out of control. I’m OCD all the time, but when something “bad” happens it ratchets things up a notch or two.

So if you come over during the next few days, please don’t be offended if I’m cleaning around you and I hope you enjoy whatever meal I make for you.

Please keep my brother in your thoughts. If anyone can make it through this, he can.