And stay put I did, for two long weeks, in that room with a view.
I would like to say that I rose from the bed like Lazarus in the Bible story, cured forever more, but I didn’t. Just over ten days later, when it was obvious that I wasn’t getting any better, I found myself, still in agony, in hospital, where I underwent surgery for a shattered disc, the bits of which, according to the surgeon, were (quote) “all over the place”. After two weeks or so in hospital, I emerged frail, but pain-free. It would take me longer still to be ready to go back to university.
I was anxious about missing weeks of my course. I was now terrified I wouldn’t pass my examinations. I couldn’t afford not to pass, though, because I would lose my scholarship and bursary money, so I worked hard to catch up on lectures, determined to succeed. I knew I had had a glowing report on the one stint of teaching practice I had managed to complete before my collapse, so maybe this would help in the long run. I hadn’t been able to take up my second placement.
I did pass my Post-Graduate Certificate of Education, with flying colours, in fact. I was amazed to be told that I was one of two students to be awarded jointly the prize for the Best Student in the Post-Graduate Certificate of Education program. I was so proud of myself, because the other man was an experienced teacher of many years in the elementary panel, where the PGCE qualification was not required. He was much older than me and had returned to university to qualify as a high school teacher. I was a total newbie and had missed so much of my course! Nevertheless, I had shown myself to be a dedicated, inspirational teacher, and I had been awarded the prize for being the best in a class of 100 or more students.
After many years of hard work, and countless moves, I had finally reached my goal. I was to be a French teacher from now onwards! I couldn’t have been happier, especially since I was now also pain-free, no longer lying flat on my back in that room with a view.
