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Author Topic: Tough challenge  (Read 4035 times)

texsooner

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Tough challenge
« on: May 22, 2009, 10:16:03 am »
I got roped into volunteering to work my youngest son's "after prom all night party" tonight. For those who haven't had the pleasure of doing something like this before, It is a big event organized and executed mostly by parent volunteers of senior kids as a way to celebrate the end of the school year and also keep kids out of trouble after the formal prom. My wife is one of the committee chairs, so naturally she volunteered me to work it.

I worked this similar event 3 yrs ago when my eldest son was a high school senior, but things are a little different for me now. This may be a tougher challenge (for me) than any marathon or bike ride as there will be over 1,000 vociferous teenagers at the event....playing games, loud music, etc. With my SSD, tinnitus, and sensitive hearing on my good side, this will definitely be a big challlenge for me. My working hours will be from 10 p.m. tonight until 7 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Hopefully with ear plugs, coffee and patience, I'll be able to get through it. Wish me luck.

Patrick
« Last Edit: May 22, 2009, 10:18:22 am by texsooner »
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CHD63

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2009, 10:36:42 am »
Oh Patrick ......

I feel for you, especially the loud music part ..... and just much general loud voices and ambient noise.  Can you take ear plugs of some kind with you?  That might lessen the hyperacussis (sp??)  part anyway.  Oops, I just see you said you would have ear plugs.   ::)  Hopefully you can take some breaks during the night and go to another room or outside to give yourself some relief or you will be worn out quickly!

What we do for our kids???  Our kids are all gone now but we did the same as you are doing.  Would not trade any of it for anything!

Be thinking about you.  Let us know how it went!

Clarice
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Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
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ppearl214

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2009, 11:27:33 am »
As long as the prom theme is "Pirate Wenches and Scallyways Unite!"....  :D

Patrick! Try to hang in there and let us know how it goes for you. 

BTW, don't drink the punch! ;)


Phyl
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Jim Scott

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2009, 12:02:23 pm »
Patrick:

I offer kudos to you for taking on this challenge!

Quote from: texsooner on May 22, 2009, 10:16:03 am
Hopefully with ear plugs, coffee and patience, I'll be able to get through it. Wish me luck.

Luck!

Jim
 
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leapyrtwins

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2009, 04:58:27 pm »
OMG, Patrick!  Best wishes for getting through this situation unscathed!

My kids are a few years away from Prom - thankfully - but I'll have to remember not to volunteer for a task like this one.

Kudos to you, though for helping out.  I know from experience that it's sometimes hard to schools to recruit parents for stuff like this.

Let us know how things turn out.

Jan
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Kathy M

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2009, 06:40:01 pm »
Oh dear!  You are one brave individual...and a good husband and father.  My husband is a 5th grade teacher and fabulous artist - he has worked the last 10 or so after-proms "face painting".  Although, with these kids, painting faces is no longer cool of course, so he paints arms, backs, shoulders, and legs (a few still choose the face, though) - they pick the shock factor kind of things for him to paint.  His creations look so good, many parents get mad and think there is a tatoo artist at this thing! 

I wonder how well-lit it will be - that would be the hardest part for me.  Sometimes they keep the lights kind of low.  The earplugs are a great call (and it'll be a good test run before the Aerosmith concert!!!).

Good Luck - can't wait to hear how it went.  Please let us know!!

Kathy
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grega

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2009, 07:48:21 pm »
Let's see Patrick .... in less than ten mins the fun begins ..... wait a minute, make that an hour and ten mins (central time).

You asked for it ..... GOOD LUCK!  ;D

Greg
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Keri

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2009, 08:42:03 pm »
Hi Patrick,
I hope it turns out to be fun! I guess it's just beginning for you now. Hope you can sleep tomorrow. I'll be doing what you're doing in 2 or 3 years. I guess it beats the trouble many of us 40+ year olds got into in our senior prom days!

Keri
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Brendalu

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2009, 05:00:08 am »
Patrick,

I know that anyone who has accomplished as much as you have will have no problem with an after prom party!  What a Dad!!  Whata guy.  I hope the plans for today are rest, recuperate and regenerate.  Maybe the father of the year award is in the making at your house?

Sleep tight,
Brenda
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texsooner

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2009, 06:16:33 am »
Well, I made it...even got let loose a little early for good behavior. It was really not as bad as I had feared. I worked the first 4 hours in the big room with all the games and activities and with a DJ blaring loud music. I was in charge of the money machine that blows cash and prize coupons in a cylinder and the kids had 20 seconds to grab all they could....It was a blast watching the kids do that and all the other crazy activities. Thank goodness I had the earplugs...those helped a lot...and I even had some other parents asking me where could they get some earplugs.

My dear wife helped me out and put me in another room (much quieter) for the 2nd shift. That helped calm down my tinnitus quite a bit.

It's amazing, with 1,000 kids, we had no incidents and all the kids I encountered were very appreciative and courteous. I really enjoyed being there.

I actually don't even feel that tired(probably because of all the coffee and adrenaline). I'm going to try to stay up and do the yardwork a little later this morning, and then I'll probably crash.

Just had to pass this along to you guys. Thanks for the support as always.

Patrick

 
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SSD(w/tinnitus); dry eye; Happy to be here and feeling good.

CHD63

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2009, 06:40:52 am »
Whew!  You made it.  You sound like a great guy!

Clarice
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Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011

Kate B

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2009, 07:17:52 am »
Quote from: texsooner on May 23, 2009, 06:16:33 am
Well, I made it...even got let loose a little early for good behavior.

Off for good behavior...It pays to know the event coordinator:-)   


I am glad you made it through...A 1,000 teenagers is quite a group! It must be a large high school.

Maybe we'll get to see some pictures.
All the best,
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texsooner

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2009, 07:44:46 am »
Yes, you're right Kate it did pay off to have an inside connection to one of the chiefs of the event. You're also right about the school size....Cypress Woods High School(30 miles NW of downtown Houston) has around 4,000 students and the school is only 3 years old.  The school district that we are in is one of the fastest growing in the nation.

I didn't take any pics myself(too busy), but maybe someone else did...if so, hopefully they'll pass them around.

BTW, you are doing a great service for those that will attend the ANA symposium in August. If there were such a position of "Chicago City Ambassador", you should be up for it. I have a conflict and won't be able to attend the ANA thing, but when we do get to make it to Chicago, we will definitely use the information that you've sent out on things to do. Thanks.

Patrick
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3.5cm left side AN; 11 hour retrosigmoid surgery 8/11/08 @ Memorial Hermann, Houston - Texas Medical Center with Drs. Chang and Vollmer; home on 8/13/08;
SSD(w/tinnitus); dry eye; Happy to be here and feeling good.

leapyrtwins

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2009, 08:03:04 am »
Yea, Patrick, you made it  ;D

Glad to hear the experience was more positive than you originally thought it would be.

The money machine sounds great.  Do they have anything like that for adults?  Lots of bills to pay in my household  ;)

Jan
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Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

Kaybo

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Re: Tough challenge
« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2009, 05:29:50 pm »
Connections with the coordinator?  I bet he's sleeping with her... ::)

K ;D
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