Social studies teacher works through pain

Katie Hutton, Visual Arts Managing Editor|November 18, 2014

Photo by Kayley Winkelman

Sociology and history teacher, Molly Siebert, works through her pain of the medical technicalities that came with her appendicitis. “It was a six week recovery, but within a week after the surgery, I was back in the E.R. and admitted overnight in the hospital because I was having the exact same abdominal pain again,” Siebert said.

Over labor day weekend, Molly Siebert experienced pain so severe she said she almost could not think.

The social studies teacher estimates she has been gone from school for an amount of eight days.  The reason for her absence has to do with her appendix-a medical issue doctors are having troubles sorting out.

“I went to the E.R. after being incredibly sick for six hours. I was so dehydrated and in so much pain I couldn’t even think or see straight. So I went in, they did some tests, I had a CT scan, and they determined I had appendicitis. So I had to have immediate surgery,” said Siebert.

She had her appendix removed but experienced the same pain only a few weeks later. “It was a six week recovery, but within a week after the surgery, I was back in the E.R. and admitted overnight in the hospital because I was having the exact same abdominal pain again,” Siebert said.
The doctors were unable to determine why she was feeling the pain, but eventually it subsided. A week later, she was experiencing the same pain. After seeing multiple specialists who were unable to determine the reason behind it, they were able to rule out some frightening possibilities like cancer and ulcers.
Siebert said, “They still couldn’t figure out why the severe abdominal pain was happening.”
Siebert has been taking medication that is meant to help the pain when it occurs, but it has only worked one of the two times she has taken it. Even with the possibility of this pain, Siebert returns to school to teach the students that are very glad to have her.

Junior Brenna Sindt is glad to have her teacher in the classroom. She said, “Everyone respects her because she has a really engaging classroom.”

“When she’s absent, we usually don’t learn anything,” commented junior Kassandra Hernandez, who has Siebert for U.S. History.

Some advice Siebert gave to students was to be kind. “Be nice to the [substitute teacher],” she said. “You know it seems pretty simple, if they’re respectful to the sub it makes it easier for me.”