July has always been a challenging month for me, but this July was more difficult than most. I turned 50 in July nd was not particularly glad about it. One of my worst fears is that I will deteriorate as I grow older and turning 50 only increased this fear.
Fifty seems like such a milestone, and with so many celebrities recently dying at that age (Micheal Jackson and Billy Mays), I figured that the countdown to eternity would really begin there. On July 1st I went outside to take out the trash (how boring is that?) and upon entering the house I immediately began shaking uncontrollably. My kid had just gotten over the flu, so I figured that I had caught it. I spent the next 2 days with a 105 temp and the night shaking until my teeth hurt.
Finally on the 3rd day I woke up to see a red band around my left ankle. I called every Dr. I knew and every one said that they didn't have any open appointments and to go to the emergency room. Finally around 6 pm the band had reached my knee and it felt like a serious burn.
I hobbled to the ER with the family around 8 pm and at at 2 am the next day was admitted to the hospital with cellulitus; an infection in my leg. I spent the next 10 days in the hospital while they tried to figure out which antibiotic would kill the bacteria. I wound up taking everything thay had to offer.
Needless to day this did not help my outlook on my 50th year of life. After another week of bed rest at home, I was able to return to work with a leg wrap and lots of Advil for the pain.
It's been 4 months since then and the leg is finally beginning to feel better. It will never look the same since my body treated the infection like a third degree burn (lots of fluid and skin damage), but I survived and now when I look at it I view it as a kind of war wound. Me against the elements. All I figure that I can do is keep fighting that war until eventually the elements win (as they always do), but I won't go down without a fight and lots of determination.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
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