Scary Times

 Jack came home  from band on June 24 complaining his leg ached. When he took off his pants, he saw that his leg was utterly ballooned and solid as a rock.

He went to the ER the next morning and luckily there was no wait. Within 20 minutes he was getting an ultrasound that showed a blood clot the entire length of his leg, from groin to ankle.

If he had waited any longer, he'd likely have died.

I was terrified. I couldn't seem to grasp that nothing to be done about removing it or clearing it. Instead, they put him on a blood thinner to send the blocked blood elsewhere, giving his body time to clear away the clot itself, turning it to scar tissue. 

I just don't see how that works. But it's now three weeks later, and the swelling is finally almost gone. He wears a compression stocking to keep the blood flowing into the side vessels. He's getting around fine with little ache. So it doesn't matter whether I see how it works, so long as it works.

I've been frazzled for the month of July. First, Jack's brass band concert got rain-dated to the following night, July 3, which is when Vagabonds were parading, and Jack was the melody maker. I filled in for him, but the parade got rain-delayed until 8 pm, long past my bedtime. On Sunday, we spent the day with Jesse, Liz, and Eliana, so I had no recovery time before July 5, when I paraded solo in the Haddonfield parade. That afternoon was a pool party at Buddy's. Then the following Saturday was another parade followed by Eliana's 3rd birthday party. Sunday was BSGK rehearsal, and Monday I crashed so hard, I took three naps across the day, and another nap yesterday.

The results of which are that I have my days and nights mixed up, like a baby.

The bathroom is stalled (heh. Get it?) again. The shower curtain rod and safety grip still have not arrived, and we are awaiting the delivery of the medicine cabinet. When everything finally arrives, they will then have to tear out the vanity to find our heating / ac duct and install a vent that isn't covered by the vanity, and then reinstall the vanity so it's not crooked.

Meanwhile, an interesting and humbling honor has been bestowed on me: I'm being put forward for entry into the NJ drum corps hall of fame. Dale and Jimmy Russo and Carol Pennisi Terreri are sponsoring me. Dale told me this in Wildwood last month, but it looks like it's happening. And since I'm the only woman being put forward, there's a good chance I'll be accepted this year. 

Still no word on the novel publication, but I have been selected to read at Noir at the Bar, which is a prestigious reading at the Creatures, Crime, and Creativity Con in September. I'm thrilled! Carol Gyzander and I will be roomies for that.

We're also going to roomy with Sally Grotta for the world con in December. Very cool! So good things are coming my way. I hope I'm up for them!