Life Changes

I hardly know where to start in explaining the changes in our lives since December, 2013.  First of all, we both retired from our jobs.  I was done on December 7, and Jon was done on December 25.  Prior to leaving, Jon took a fall at work and was in the process of seeing doctors to check out his left shoulder.  In February he was finally able to see a specialist who diagnosed a rotator cuff tear after having an MRI.

On February 27 our youngest daughter Megan and her husband Greg had twins!  Beautiful and perfect.  The little girl is named Arya and the little boy is Damian.  I went to stay with them and help out as they already had a 3 1/2 year old boy named Oskar.  I stayed at their house each week from Sunday afternoon till Friday night or Saturday for 6 weeks with one notable exception.

On April 3 (babies now 5 weeks old) Jon had surgery in Dakota Dunes, SD and I was home with him for about 4 days then took him with me to the kids to help them for one more week.  After that we came home so he could start a regular physical therapy schedule.

Things didn't go that well.  He had lots of pain and swelling.  The swelling was in his arms and both feet and legs.  We finally made some progress getting the swelling down and thought we were on the right track.  He started having pain in the right calf that worsened over about 3-4 days and then his breathing seemed more labored.  I took him the the ER on April 29 and he had clots in his right leg and both lungs, a pulmonary embolism.  Within about 48 hours his blood thickness reached therapeutic levels and they were keeping him in the hospital till he could gain more strength.

On the morning of May 7 he had another pulmonary embolism...more clots in right leg and right lung.  He was life-flighted to Methodist hospital in Omaha.  They put a screen in the vena cava to protect his lungs from more clots from below.  They also found there were clots in his left arm.  They administered a TPA treatment by IV that is a super clot-buster.  By morning he was breathing much easier.  He was dismissed from there on May 11.

Since that time we have been focusing on physical therapy and getting him stronger.  We are so grateful that he's alive!  We were so blessed by so many people who came to visit, sent cards, called, texted, and PRAYED!  It's definitely given me a new perspective on life and the value of community.  Our children were such a help and blessing to us as they drove many miles to be with us and help us.  They checked on us often when they couldn't be here, and we always knew that they were there for us.

There are no words to thank everyone who reached out and those who are continuing to pray for Jon's health.  The doctors could find no reason at all for him to have formed clots the second time when he was at therapeutic level.  He will probably be on blood thinners the rest of his life which is no problem at all, but we will have to be diligent to be aware of both bleeding and clotting potentials and symptoms.

I've learned much.  I feel like I should have learned more.  I know I need a Savior.  I know that my Savior is with me always, every moment.  I know that I love my husband.  I know that we need community.  I know that life is fragile and anything can happen.  I know He holds us in His hand.  And I know that's enough.