Sunday at Beaumont

I woke up this morning abruptly at 5:00 AM after feeling a cramp in my leg and numbness in my toes. I reached down to massage my leg and there was a golf ball size knot/swelling on my calf. I said aloud "Jeff, wake up something is wrong." I was amazed at how quickly he sprung into action. Not only did he wake up right away, but he was incredibly attentive for being woken up out of a dead sleep. The swelling went away after 30 seconds, but I was still very alarmed. Pregnant women are at high risk for blood clots, which if left untreated can make their way to the lungs and result in death.

I called my doctor who instructed me to go to the hospital if the tenderness did not subside after an hour. Well, an hour and a hot compress later my leg was still sore. So, Jeff and I drove to Beaumont and spent the morning there.

I was very impressed with the hospital's emergency room staff/procedures. We did not wait 5 minutes at any stage of our visit. I received a vascular ultrasound and (sigh of relief) everything checked out OK. I most likely strained a muscle, and slept on my leg funny, resulting in the swelling. Ahh, the joys of being pregnant...you strain muscles you didn't even know you had! The doctor and nurses made me feel very much at ease and told me it was the right thing to come in and have it checked out, especially since I am pregnant and at higher risk for certain things. Personally, I felt a little silly being wheeled around in a hospital bed when I looked/felt fine for the most part. Oh well, Jeff reminded me that peace of mind is priceless. He is such a great husband. I told him I am just checking out his response time for when I go into labor this fall...haha.