Photo credit: Dominique. Ms. Galindo’s everyday life is impacted by her MS, but she never lets it get the best of her.
While you might be checking out at 3:21 with energy to last you through the rest of the evening, one of the Spanish department’s favorite teachers– Senora Galindo– is already at home, sleeping. Juggling walking to and from school might be easy for you, but for Galindo, balance and weakness overcome her as she might be able to walk with you to school, but walking back home might be a struggle.
Previously, it was released that Galindo had been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) since her freshmen year in college, a disease in which the immune system eats away the protective covering of nerves. Looks are deceiving, as they say. The disease cannot be cured, and in Senora Galindo’s case, will last a lifetime.
MS is a disease known for progressing in severity as time goes on. Several symptoms of which include anxiety, weakness, balance, dizziness/vertigo, and depression. Galindo added that she believes her symptoms are getting worse, and what used to come and go before, no longer goes upon arriving. She has trouble balancing, loses her energy, and grows more exhausted as the day progresses. On her bad days, she has trouble forming sentences, and the fatigue hits her sooner within the day.
Senora Galindo began, “the year was 1995 and I was 19. MS is a nuisance that’s taking me a long time to get used to,” continuing on to say, “I just felt like I could do a lot more. I could sponsor clubs and go on trips and do more activities. I’m finding that I don’t have the strength to do that anymore.”
Considering that she has been on the RHS staff for a while now, it is clear who she has impacted with her attitude, as she chooses to remain positive and has learned to accept her MS.
Mr. Melendez, current ninth grade geography teacher and peer of Senora Galindo stated, “I’ve known her a little over a decade, she previously taught at Hinkley high school with my wife,” adding, “she has a big heart for students. I did notice her hours were reduced due to her MS, but her effort and work ethic are exactly the same. She’s a positive influence, hard worker, and an amazing teacher.”
Galindo’s daily routine has also been completely rocked ever since she was informed of her MS. Being diagnosed at such a young age slowly prohibited her from doing active activities she aspires to do today. She claims that life was normal as she was a “typical” teenager before the nuisance crept into her life. Not only has her personal life been affected, but her work life as well. Senora Galindo used to teach several more classes including different subjects such as French, alongside with teaching Spanish. As time went on, she noted that she now only teaches one subject, Spanish, and no longer teaches AP Spanish.
“I can’t work full time anymore,” she spoke, “I love teaching and I can’t think of anything else that I could do or would do that might require less energy, so now I only teach three classes instead of five, and one subject instead of two or three.”
Throughout all of her experience with MS, it might be a common thought to wonder how Galindo stays positive despite everything she’s been through.
“It’s not like everything around me is negative, but I fake the positivity until I believe it. The only real disability in life is a bad attitude. There are a billion people in the world that have and that have far more limitations than I have, and they’re also doing great things, so I don’t really have any excuses.”
Students in the RHS community also support Galindo as much as they can, appreciating everything she does. Yaritza Perez, freshmen in Galindo’s fourth hour Spanish 3 class stated, “sometimes it’s apparent that her MS is messing with her, because she’ll hold onto things. I worry that she’ll fall,” finishing off with saying, “but overall I love Senora Galindo a lot, she’s a great teacher and I couldn’t ask for anyone better.”
Despite all of what might have been setbacks at first, Senora Galindo is adjusting very well and continues to positively impact not just her own life, but the ones around her as well, remaining a great addition to the RHS community and staff each day.
