English Teacher Sara Noah suffered from appendicitis, a very dangerous medical condition, on January 25 and 26.

Mrs. Noah said that she originally thought she had the stomach flu, but when her pain became localized on her right side, she went to the Emergency Room  to have some tests ran. She said that she was given pain medication late Friday afternoon, but she wasn’t operated on until much later that night.

“A ruptured appendix was NOT fun,” she said. “… I wasn’t wheeled into surgery until midnight. I spent the next two days in the hospital on very strong antibiotics since my appendix burst, most likely on Thursday night.”

Her absence left students confused about directions for assignments and worried about her condition.

“It was really hard when she was gone, because I didn’t feel like I was learning or doing my work the right way, and I didn’t feel like my work was at my full potential,” said Senior Heidi Tyra. “I missed Mrs. Noah very much, and I felt very bad that her appendix burst. I really missed her smile and her positivity in the classroom.”

Mrs. Noah missed her students and is happy to be back at work.

“I really miss working with students and being in class to help with clarification of information … I am glad to see my students and be back to the routine,” said Mrs. Noah. “Everyone has been so welcoming and supportive. Dr. Besler even brought me hot tea!”

Thankfully, Mrs. Noah was able to return to school, even if it was a slow process.

“I was really frustrated with having to be out so long, but (I) knew … that there was no way I would be able to teach all day long,” she said. “I am generally a high energy person, so my slower return to normal (was inconvenient).  I also was struck by the seriousness of the situation after I was in recovery.  People die from this, and I am so thankful for modern medicine, and that I was treated fairly quickly.”

Although this was sad for some students, others looked on the bright side.

“The only good thing about her being gone was we got to read a little bit more since our book reports are due, so we were able to read a lot more,” said Collier. “But I’m glad she’s back so she can help so we don’t fail this essay that we have to write.”

Senior Taylor Hamilton enjoyed having more freedom in class.

“Having the sub was nice because it wasn’t as strict in class, and we got to work at our own pace without being rushed by our teacher,” she said. “But actually knowing what was going on is going to be nice, because the sub was just communicating with Mrs. Noah, and we weren’t communicating with Mrs. Noah, so it was really hard to ask questions.”

Mrs. Noah has a whole new shot at life and isn’t taking any of it for granted.

“I am moving more slowly, but I feel as if I have been given another lease on life,” she said. “This sort of experience helps to look at life in a more appreciative way, and I am so grateful for my supportive family, friends, students, and coworkers. I have a lot to be thankful for!”