Thanks...and keep the prayers coming.
There's a lot going on here and I am well and truly (checks thread location) "upset".
I don't have time to cover everything going on, only the barest tip of the iceberg. And on top of this, our youngest called me with car problems this morning (because when it rains, it might as well pour). I drove two hours to get to her and we'll have things on hand. A car ain't nothin' but a thang, anyway. And my wife was still asleep anyway.
We moved my wife to a hospital last night, where she WILL be for the next several days. Here's the lead up, which will give you guys an understanding on how upset I am.
We had to argue STRONGLY with my wife to get her into medical care. Myself, her sister, and our kids.
Folks, she has HUGE discolored blisters on her feet and lower legs.
Now, right now I KNOW a lot of you are thinking EXACTLY what the problem is and how serious it is.
For those who don't, let me explain.
Several years ago, my wife ended up with a cardiologist for circulation issues in her legs. Poor circulation, massive amounts of fluid retention. She ended up with a couple stents. And medication she'll have to take for the rest of her life.
For several years now, it's been getting increasingly more painful for her to walk.
Could NOT get her to go to a doctor over this. She rather went to a chiropractor instead. Can't talk her into a medical doctor, can't force her either.
Well, FINALLY we got her to see her cardiologist a couple weeks ago. I'm in Virginia for work, but I pushed hard for this. And, her being who she is, I suffered her wrath on this "because she's tired of hearing this from everybody!".
"Take your anger out on me all you want for everybody getting on your *ss about this, but THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU and getting p*ssed at me isn't helping YOU. Get your *ss into the doctor and get this looked at."
Well, she did. Came away with a handful of meds and another appointment for testing and whatnot.
I get home this weekend and I'm helping her get ready to pick up our son, get some lunch, and pick up a few things.
This, folks, is the first time I'm seeing this. She's got PATCHES of skin MISSING on her lower legs and huge, discolored blisters across the top of both her feet.
I'm "upset". I can NOT get her to go see a doctor Saturday.
Sunday her sister has FINALLY gotten through her thick skull to go to the urgent care ER.
But. She. Will. NOT. Get. Off. Her. *ss. And. Get. Moving.
Daddy's Little Troublemaker snatched her phone out of her hands and told her in no uncertain terms she was calling 911 for an ambulance if she didn't get moving.
At the urgent care ER, I talked to the nurse and doctor, out of sight and earshot of my wife, and told them the following:
"I need you to understand what you're going to be dealing with here about my wife. She is not here because she believes in doctors or medicine. She is what I call 'anti-authoritarian. She does not like when people tell her what she can do, nor what she can't do...and the full spectrum in between. She is here because virtually the entire family MADE her come. I'm not a doctor, but I KNOW what we're dealing with here. I lost an uncle decades ago who ended up with gangrene in his legs because he REFUSED treatment. And one of the things I most remember about him was 'I came into this world with two legs, and I'm going out with two legs'."
And then I gave them a run down starting back at the time she got her stents and ended with the fact that I found out that's she's been either not taking her meds like she should or not taking them at all.
When the tests were done, the doctor laid it out in black and white for my wife:
"Are you diabetic?"
"Yes."
(THIS IS HOW I FOUND OUT ABOUT HER DIABETES, AND THAT SHE HASN'T BEEN TAKING HER MEDS FOR IT, NOR HAS SHE ALTERED HER DIET. MY UPSETTEDNESS IS ESCALATING.)
"I don't know how you feel about hospitals and I can't make you go. But you have a blood infection because this has gone septic. This is not something you can go home with and decide what to do later. If you go home, you are going to die. And you may yet lose your feet."
I said "She's going to the hospital."
My wife seemed to think I didn't have any say in the matter. I told her she was going if I had to get her sister and all our kids there to get it done.
SO...
She's been in the hospital since last night. She's on massive IV antibiotocs. She got a shot of insulin, had a bit to eat last night.
I'm torn up.
I am p*ssed.
I'm a basket case.
And my wife? Same anti-authoritarian person as always. Will this be enough to change her ways, beyond simply getting through this alive (with our without her feet)? That remains to be seen.
Anyway... I'm on "man-mode", meaning I'm quantifying things into tasks which can be dealt with and resolved. And there are a lot of things.
Including, of course, our youngest's car problems today.
I did eat today, finally. I figured I'm not doing anybody any good if I drop for lack of nutrition over the last 36 hours.
I'm also talking with people on what I may need to do in order to get legal authority to direct care against my wife's wishes.
Sorry this is so long. It was just supposed to be a relatively short update so I could get back to what needs to be done. I'm sure plenty of you are thinking "Chief? A short post? BWAHAHAHA!"
(In truth, that made me laugh a bit!)