Sometimes something small and unimportant becomes big and scary and very important - but only when you least expect it and only when your whole life is focused on something else. We have been working on an extra special, extra large wholesale order this past month and it has consumed so much of our life that when Doug started talking about his leg hurting again we both just brushed it off. We all kept working and powering through the long and sleepless nights. But last week, when the pain became unbearable, we started paying more attention. As you know, he had an infection in a torn muscle and was on antibiotics for a few weeks that we thought has done the trick. But it just wasn't healing, and in fact, it was becoming worse. So, back to the hospital we went, and found out that the infection has spread to his lymph nodes. Back on antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and bed rest.
The holidays are our busiest season and for being self employed, we don't take days off. We work endlessly to get orders out and we love it. But this has been scary. Infections are scary, and being in so much pain you can't walk, that's really scary too. So no matter what, no matter how many pending orders we have, no matter how much work we have, being healthy comes first and I feel lucky we have so many understanding, caring customers and friends.
We are the kind of people who have to be drug to the doctors office kicking and screaming. We writhe in pain, cry, scream, cough up blood and chop the tips of our fingers off - and still insist that a doctor isn't necessary. But this experience, it has changed us. An infection in your body can be deadly and it is something that you don't take lightly. It took Doug almost a month before he let me take him to the hospital, and when the pain came back, it took a few days for me to convince him he had to go. We spent all night there, and when we got home and crawled into bed, we both felt better. I don't know what I would do without Doug and a fear of the hospital just isn't worth the risk.
Anyways, long story short, we learned a lesson, Doug is already feeling a little bit better but is pretty confined to the couch for a little while and still in a lot of pain. We are leaving for Florida for Thanksgiving on Wednesday and I'm hoping a quick vacation and family time will do everyone good. We get pretty spoiled when we go home.
Have you ever been hurt/sick and not done anything about it? I know there are lessons to be learned in all of this - tell us about yours.
