Back-to-school time looks pretty different this year. Whether you’re in a classroom with everyone wearing masks and staying at least 6 feet apart from each other, or learning from home through Zoom classes, the 2020-2021 school year is definitely going to be one we all remember.
It’s not just the students feeling the effects of these insane times, either. Teachers are also having to adjust their classes in accordance with their specific school district’s guidelines.
But one California teacher’s classroom definitely stands out from all the rest,. That’s because it also doubles as her hospital room.
For the last two months, Janet Udomratsak has been on bed rest at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills.
The 35-year-old teacher from Lancaster is 33 weeks pregnant, but because she has a condition that puts her at risk of premature labor, she’s been on strict orders to remain at the hospital until the baby is born.
“With it being so high-risk at that point, going home is not a possibility because I need to be constantly monitored just in case I do go into pre-term labor,” she told Yahoo News .
Last year, Udomratsak, who is already mom to 5-year-old Henry, tragically lost a baby when he was born prematurely.
The due date for her current pregnancy, a boy they’ve decided to name James, is October 20, but Udomratsak is just focusing on making it to 37 weeks.
“I feel very excited to have gotten this far in my pregnancy but it hasn’t been an easy journey,” she admitted. “I try to stay positive as much as possible even though the situation I am in is not the best.”
Since she was admitted to the hospital at 24 weeks on July 4, Udomratsak has had little to no in-person contact with her husband, Chris, or their son Henry.
Because of the ongoing pandemic, the hospital has restricted any visitors, although she was treated a surprise visit from her boys after six weeks alone in her hospital room.
“I was just in tears,” she told Insider of their heartwarming reunion. “It was really surreal to have had that opportunity after so long.”
Prior to being put on bed rest, Udomratsak had planned to take leave from school if students were to return to classes, given her condition and that she is considered high-risk for the virus.
But upon finding out that her grade one students, as well as all other children at Tierra Bonita Elementary, would have all their classes conducted online, she decided to turn down her leave.
Once she got the green light from her doctors and from the school district, Udomratsak was able to personally teach her students over Zoom for their first week of classes.
But since she was in the hospital, she had to get a little creative with her background.
Rather than displaying her hospital bed and surrounding medical equipment, Udomratsak outfitted her room with a white board, a bulletin board, a cozy background, and even added a “welcome” sign to greet her eager students with.
As for her desk? Well, her meal tray works perfectly to hold up her laptop and camera.
Although September 4 was her last day of teaching before officially going on leave, Udomratsak said she is grateful for the distraction the week with her new students provided her.
“When I am teaching and with the students, they motivate me to keep going on because I see them as my family and it brings me a little joy to have that interaction with them even though I don’t have that with my own right now,” she told Yahoo News . “Teaching has always been my passion and when I am with them I am excited to hear their stories and see their passion for learning.”
The educator added that she will remain on maternity leave until the end of the school year so she can “soak up as much time I can get with both the boys.”
h/t: Yahoo News , Business Insider
