Best Laid Plans...

It’s been an eventful couple of weeks at the Referee’s household.  Last week we were running with Son’s post-season soccer games.  I’m very proud of his team for all they accomplished this year.  Unfortunately, a week ago on Saturday they lost the sectional championship game to the eventual 2nd place State team in our class.  They played their hearts out, though, and they have nothing to be ashamed of.  Congratulations team!

Throughout the last week of soccer, hubby was fighting a virus.  He ran a fever and was sick for about 4 days.  I was really worried, because he doesn’t get sick.  I can count on one hand the times he’s been sick and I’ve known him for 25 years.  He was sad to miss son’s last soccer game for this year.

This week started off better.  With two of my busiest bosses out of the country I was looking forward to catching up at work.  But ah, the best laid plans...

Hubby asked me to take Wednesday off to go hiking - it was promising to be a beautiful day and we thought it might be our last hurrah before the winter sets in.  And it was a beautiful day!  We enjoyed our hikes and saw lots of deer, some butterflies, and a turtle.  I could watch the deer all day!  Headed back home about 4 PM to take Son to town and look at a possible vehicle for him.  Three hours later, we came home with a car for him.  We’re not sure it’s the right vehicle, but we’re not sure it’s the wrong one either, if that makes any sense.  I’m hoping it turns out to be the right one, otherwise the peace in our house will be nonexistent.

Wednesday night I started having pains in my left side.  By Thursday morning, I knew something wasn’t right but I didn’t know what.  We made a trip to convenient care and I was sent home with muscle relaxers for back spasms.  The NP was convinced I had shingles - even though I had no rash, but decided to “go with” back spasms.  Let me tell you, that gave me warm fuzzies.  But I took the muscle relaxers thinking back spasms made sense with how I was feeling.  Had I pulled something while hiking?  I hadn’t done anything more strenuous than usual on our hikes.

By Thursday night, I decided the NP was nuts.  The pain had moved around to the front, and by then I was having sharp, stabbing pains in my side.  I suffered through another night of little sleep and after a call to my doctors office Friday morning, we made the trip to the ER.  It took six hours to get a diagnosis but I am grateful that the ER doctor was thorough.  I have blood clots in my spleen.  No idea why they are there, but a CT scan clearly showed them.  I was released to go home with anti-inflammatory and pain meds, with orders to follow up with my regular doc on Monday.

Of course the first thing I did was Google my symptoms.  My official diagnosis was splenic infarction.  There isn’t much information out there, but it sounds as if removal of the spleen is a very real possibility.  I am not thrilled with that prospect.  But I am hopeful the doc will have a better alternative to offer when I see him tomorrow.

On a good note, my father-in-law has apparently been enjoying the adult day care program.  Because he is a former minister, they have him leading some prayer sessions and he even has a “girlfriend” there.  The lady has been unresponsive to others, until my father-in-law arrived.  Now she seeks him out, and participates with him there.  I’m thankful he has a higher purpose for being there and that he can still help others.  In subtle ways, it may help him more than we realize, too.