life lately

it has been a long time since i blogged. not only has life thrown us some curve balls in the recent weeks but it has been difficult to not only spend time seated at a desk but i have had a hard time figuring out exactly what to say.

first of all - thank you!
thank you to everyone who has supported us through prayer, meals, visits, and a host of other ways. we so appreciate it.

in order to explain exactly what has been going on lately, i should probably start at the beginning.

we arrived in Florida safely March 3rd. Immediately after getting off the plane i was suffering from severe difficulty walking and a very painful left leg. I had been having some back pain the week prior to leaving and figured that this was just a part of the issue.

the next 3 days are a blur of pain and trying to enjoy vacation. With the help of my family and my hubby i was able to hobble down the stairs of our hotel and spend some time at the pool or go visit my grandparents (who spend 3 months in Florida). At all times i was keeping my leg elevated hoping that the swelling would decrease.

it didn't. by Tuesday evening I had spent 3 days in pain with a leg almost 3x it's usual size (not kidding - i couldn't even put my jeans on). My grandma had found out about a clinic called CanCare, a clinic specially designed to help Canadians on vacation in the States. The doctors took one look at my leg, told me i had a blood clot and wanted me admitted IMMEDIATELY.
I obviously put up a fuss and asked them if I could fly home or drive home and be treated there. That is when we realized how serious the situation was. Not only was I putting my life in danger by doing either of these activities, but I was blessed to not have sent a blood clot to my lung or heart with all the activity I had been doing the last 3 days.

The next 9 days were a series of blood tests, bed rest, and a long stay in the hospital. The first day I had an ultrasound on my legs and we discovered I had a blood clot in my right leg and extensive clots in my left. Dave stayed with me until Saturday when he went home, and my mom stayed for the rest. We were blessed to have a 2 bed room in which mom was allowed to use the other bed. Levi stayed with me as well because I am breastfeeding. They were both such an incredible blessing.

Being in a hospital in the States is tricky, and dealing with insurance (NEVER travel without it) was a new challenge for all of us. We were blessed to have the most wonderful nurse practioner from CanCare helping us out with everything and answering all our questions.

We arrived home on Friday March 16th and I have been on partial bed rest ever since. My left leg is still a little swollen and very sore but I have strict instructions to get up and move otherwise I am going to damage my muscles. The clots have not yet disappeared and may take longer yet to do so. I am currently on blood thinners and probably will be for 3-4 months.

We are expecting more tests to rule out any genetic issues that may have caused the blood clots (otherwise I would have to be on blood thinners for life). However, currently they are assuming the cause is pregnancy. Who would've thought such an easy pregnancy would result in this?
I have to go to the doctor's for blood tests 1-2 times a week, but hopefully this will lower as the weeks progress, unless I am a difficult patient to stabilize (fingers crossed).

At this point... if I am being honest.... I am both bummed and thankful.
Extremely thankful that it wasn't more serious, and Levi still has his mommy. At the same time, I am still having difficulty understanding why and trying to get my spirits up when all I want to do is enjoy my baby and getting back into the "swing of things". However, Levi is a wonderful baby and still thriving. Dave is being a fantastic support, and we have many people (especially our moms!) staying with us to help us with meals, Levi, and housecleaning. The weather is beautiful and every day I can walk a little farther (ie. down the hall) without getting winded. Progress is progress people!!

So please continue to pray for us:
- thank the Lord with us for what he has done for us and the many blessings we are encountering on this "adventure!"
- pray that my continued recovery is swift and easy and that the medication I am on stabilizes easily
- pray that any testing comes back negative for any genetic blood-clotting issues
- this may seem odd... but pray that I do not become pregnant! We are obviously taking preventative measures, but blood thinning medication can cause serious birth defects
- pray that subsequent pregnancies (farther away) are not difficult or seriously affected by blood clotting issues (though I will be more carefully monitored)

overall we are good. minus my bum-leg i feel like myself and we are enjoying our little family
a little worse for the wear. but together all the same.