Remembering Teacher Kris

July 26th marks the one year anniversary of Sherry being admitted to Sacred Heart Hospital. It probably goes without saying that it has been the hardest 365 days of my life. When you are caught up in the middle of an ordeal, dealing with it day to day, it is very easy to become very self centered in a way. You (at least me) think that your situation is somehow unique...that nobody has a situation quite as bad as you and that it couldn't possibly get any worse. Well, of course none of that is true and life has a way of smacking you upside the head to let you know that it is not true. Today I got "smacked upside the head" in a real big way.

This morning at the Eugene Hearing and Speech Center we found out that a former colleague, Kris Wilson had passed away, suddenly and unexpectedly. Kris was only 48 years old. She apparently died from complications of Lupis.

Kris was a speech-language pathologist who ran the preschool program (and was therefore, my direct supervisor) for about 2 1/2 years. I have worked in the program for about 12 years now, and have worked with several SLP's. I have enjoyed working with them all but Kris was special in many ways. I think the highest compliment that I can pay to Kris is to call her a real "teacher." She was so good with the kids, and so interested in any problem they could possibly have. She was always teaching and at the same time always learning as well. She eventually left the Center and started her own business called EduCare where she helped children discover how they learned the best, their learning styles.

Kris offered to help our kids many times. On more than one occasion I had composed an email to her, asking her to help only to decide that I hadn't described the problem in the right way or something. I could always do it tomorrow. There was always tomorrow. I wish I had asked her for her help if for no other reason than my kids could have experienced Kris Wilson. Who knows what kind of difference her passion, good sense and heart might have made. I will honestly always wonder. I feel I let a real opportunity slip by.

So...the next time I feel sorry for myself and my situation I will try to think of Kris's husband and her two kids. Yes, Sherry has many things to overcome and the future is still uncertain, but we are together. We are so lucky.

This blog is about Sherry, but I just wanted to let the few people who might read this know that our community has lost someone special.

enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward

Dean