FA+
Shop
I used to want to be like her.
11 years ago
General
(Please pardon any errors, I'm only able to type with one hand at the moment)
When I was a man cub, I idolized my mother. She was my only parent, worked hard, was nurturing, and was somewhat of a disciplinarian even if that was one area of parenting she couldn't get used to. She was strong, always did her best, and despite our disagreements we've always loved each other and she's always been accepting.
I inherited a lot of fun things from my mother; her sense of humor, her lack of a butt, and her practical intelligence. Then Hurricane Katrina hit, and our lives changed forever. While we were in an area that only got a few thunderstorms as it passed through, weakened and beaten, on the day it hit the Gulf Coast we had several hurricanes of our own. My mom had a DVT (deep vein thrombosis, or to simplify a blood clot in a major artery.) They discovered the cause of this was genetic. She has Factor V Lieden deficiency, a genetic abnormality that makes you many times more likely than the general population to form blood clots. They also discovered she had diabetes, but that's really neither here nor there.
Over the years due to a combination of fear and lack of health insurance, I refused to be tested. I figured that ignorance was bliss, and I kept that as my mantra. Last month, on the 21st, I finally did it. I was tested. Three days passed. The results were what I had always feared; I also have Factor V Lieden.
I took the news in stride. While my mother and I aren't in the best of health, She didn't have to deal with her first clot until her late 30's. I figured, at worst, I had ten years to go. At best, I'd just never throw a clot. Life, it seems, had other plans.
As soon as I felt the warmth and tenderness I knew exactly what it was. As soon as I noticed the reddened skin and the inflamed area, I knew it couldn't be anything else. Yesterday I went to the ER, and I was right. Only eight days after learning I had the same genetic mutation as my mother, I developed my first clot. I also learned that I have arthritis in my left knee, but that's really not important.
So what does this mean? It means that I have to take a once per day chewable aspirin, keep my right arm elevated, keep heat on it, and adapt to typing with one hand for the time being. It means that I have to be vigilant, make sure the clot doesn't move into an artery, or into my heart where it could kill me. It means that, despite many years of thinking I wanted to be just like my mother, I'd like to retract certain aspects of that.
Life goes on and we live to fight another day. But... you take what it throws at you. I may not be able to do commissions and make the money we need this month, but I can choose to be optimistic. My mom has had tons of DVTs and not a single one has called her to the grave. I have to believe that I'm as strong as her, as resilient, that I did inherit that bit.
So anyway, I just wanted to share that. It's been constantly on my mind since yesterday and just typing out the words makes me feel a lot better ^^. I hope you all have as wonderful a weekend as I plan to!
When I was a man cub, I idolized my mother. She was my only parent, worked hard, was nurturing, and was somewhat of a disciplinarian even if that was one area of parenting she couldn't get used to. She was strong, always did her best, and despite our disagreements we've always loved each other and she's always been accepting.
I inherited a lot of fun things from my mother; her sense of humor, her lack of a butt, and her practical intelligence. Then Hurricane Katrina hit, and our lives changed forever. While we were in an area that only got a few thunderstorms as it passed through, weakened and beaten, on the day it hit the Gulf Coast we had several hurricanes of our own. My mom had a DVT (deep vein thrombosis, or to simplify a blood clot in a major artery.) They discovered the cause of this was genetic. She has Factor V Lieden deficiency, a genetic abnormality that makes you many times more likely than the general population to form blood clots. They also discovered she had diabetes, but that's really neither here nor there.
Over the years due to a combination of fear and lack of health insurance, I refused to be tested. I figured that ignorance was bliss, and I kept that as my mantra. Last month, on the 21st, I finally did it. I was tested. Three days passed. The results were what I had always feared; I also have Factor V Lieden.
I took the news in stride. While my mother and I aren't in the best of health, She didn't have to deal with her first clot until her late 30's. I figured, at worst, I had ten years to go. At best, I'd just never throw a clot. Life, it seems, had other plans.
As soon as I felt the warmth and tenderness I knew exactly what it was. As soon as I noticed the reddened skin and the inflamed area, I knew it couldn't be anything else. Yesterday I went to the ER, and I was right. Only eight days after learning I had the same genetic mutation as my mother, I developed my first clot. I also learned that I have arthritis in my left knee, but that's really not important.
So what does this mean? It means that I have to take a once per day chewable aspirin, keep my right arm elevated, keep heat on it, and adapt to typing with one hand for the time being. It means that I have to be vigilant, make sure the clot doesn't move into an artery, or into my heart where it could kill me. It means that, despite many years of thinking I wanted to be just like my mother, I'd like to retract certain aspects of that.
Life goes on and we live to fight another day. But... you take what it throws at you. I may not be able to do commissions and make the money we need this month, but I can choose to be optimistic. My mom has had tons of DVTs and not a single one has called her to the grave. I have to believe that I'm as strong as her, as resilient, that I did inherit that bit.
So anyway, I just wanted to share that. It's been constantly on my mind since yesterday and just typing out the words makes me feel a lot better ^^. I hope you all have as wonderful a weekend as I plan to!
My sister has a genetic disorder called EDS. She's 19 and almost constantly dislocates her shoulder, fingers, jaw, hip, etc.
She can't stand up for too long or her hip goes out, if she eats something too hard her jaw dislocates. Driving? Thumb dislocates.
She needs a cane to walk long distances and, even through all of that, she still gets crap from people who thinks she's "Just fine" or "Faking it".
One time, she went to park in the handicap spot of a mall (she has a handicap sticker for her car). The officer patrolling stopped her when she got out because "She didn't look handicapped". He then made her get back in her car and move aaaallll the way to the back of the mall's parking lot. (She was going to the mall to buy a wheelchair, by the way.)
I dunno.
People suck?
*Cheers you ever onward!*
I'm incredibly lucky that I don't seem to have anything threatening in my (known) heritage.
Other than possibly having some hip issue? Which I don't think I do, but my older half-sibling does.
I WISH EVERYONE WAS SUPER HEALTHY AND ALL THAT JAZZ... OR JSUT SUPER STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE IT.
Take it on Lehm, GO, with your head held high and eyes gleaming in the blazing red sunset! My loyal dark vassal will persevere and march ever closer to victory! HUZZAH!!
*Raises staff and shouts*