Unexpected Liberation

Friday, March 04, 2005

Counting the Blessings

First of all, if you ever have a pain in your leg go to the doctor. I am not referring to a twinge here and there. I'm talking about all-out-this-hurts-like-hell-I-can't-walk pain. That's just common sense, right?

In retrospect I can't imagine what we were thinking.

My husband, LB, has been plagued with a re-occuring attack of excruciating pain in his right calf over the past months. Each time it happened in the morning, prevented him from even standing and lasted about 30 minutes. He assumed each time he had slept wrong or a muscle was cramping.

Last Thursday the assault began again but this time it didn't subside. There was improvement by Friday but any attempts to move around for longer than five minutes landed him back in bed.

On Saturday he decided if it wasn't better by Monday he would go to the doctor.

I drove him to the doctor on Monday. She ordered a doppler on Tuesday morning.

Tuesday morning I drove him to the hospital for the doppler. The test lasted 3 minutes. He was admitted 5 minutes later.

He has a blood clot that starts behind his knee and runs half-way up his thigh. The technician commented that it was a lucky thing he hadn't been exercising or walking much. That sort of activity could push the clot up to his lungs.

He walks our dog, Dugan, two miles a day and works out on our elliptical 3 times a week.

He is damn lucky.

Now it's the uncertainty that plagues us. There is no family medical history to hang this on. There has been no trauma or injuries to account for the clot's development. Even though they have him on blood thinners in hopes to dissolve the clot what will prevent another one unless he stays on the thinners permanently?

This is one of those situations where only time will tell.

In the meantime I have learned to appreciate him more than ever. I've dealt with the daily household and family routines while he has been on business trips or golf outings in the past. Extra duties don't bother me much when I know they are temporary. It certainly doesn't bother me to keep up while he is in the hospital but suddenly I realize all the "unnpleasant" things he does around here for our family may need to find a permanent caretaker.

While LB's hospital stay continues I have learned to fully appreciate:

1. Shoveling snow. This is particularly annoying when you are trying to make a clear path down the driveway so the child can walk to the school bus and then said child goes out the side door, wades through thigh-deep snow to quietly watch you shoveling behind your back (already dressed for school).

2. Garbage night. Note to self: Do not allow husband to store garbage bags in the backyard shed to await Garbage Day. It required additional snow shoveling to get to the shed. It took three trips from the backyard to the front curb in deep snow. On the bright side, garbage bags slide easily on snow. Bags now stored in the garage (at least until the spring thaw).

3. Walking the dog. The dog becomes ansy and bored when he doesn't go on his daily walk. It is 6 degrees outside. I don't like to walk in the cold. I tried chasing him through the house to burn off steam and I only made it through 2 laps.

4. Entertaining the dog. Putting the dog out on the 40 foot lead doesn't help much. He has a penchant for wrapping his lead tightly around the Rose of Sharon tree growing 20 feet away from the house. Wrapping yourself multiple times until the lead is so tight your eyes are bugging out seems to be the most entertaining.

Did I mention the snow?

5. Understanding pre-algebra. Is this supposed to be math or hieroglyphics? Either way, I'm screwed. I hope LB is released from the hospital before the kid flunks 7th grade.

I miss drinking coffee with him in the morning and playing Trivia Machine with him before going to bed. His abscence resounded as I sat and watched the last episode of our beloved NYPD Blue alone.

I miss him. I want him to be alright again.

In my heart I know he will. I'm just ready to hear someone say it outloud. Like a doctor.

Vic set it free at 7:48 AM

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