An Unexpected Ankle Bleed Changed Our New Year’s Plans
Hemophilia bleeding has a way of disrupting even the most meticulous planning
Our New Year’s didn’t go as planned this year.
My husband, Jared, our daughter, Cittie, and I were supposed to book a room for a staycation and then go out to the city center to see midnight fireworks. However, that didn’t pan out because the room we had been looking at turned out to be “not as described.”
So we decided at the last minute to watch the fireworks display after having dinner with Jared’s parents. Not too bad for a plan B, we thought!
Alas, even our backup plan was interrupted when Jared, who has hemophilia, got a sudden, fast-progressing ankle bleed.
A familiar feeling
Earlier that day, we had been having breakfast at a McDonald’s PlayPlace when Jared felt a twinge in his ankle. We didn’t waste a single second. We collected our daughter, apologized for interrupting her play-area fun, and drove home, hoping that Jared could infuse his factor product in time to still make it to the evening’s festivities.
But the bleed had progressed too much. It was a scenario we both knew too well. For the next five days or so, Jared would have to remain housebound, nursing his ankle back to health.
Meanwhile, Cittie, her new nanny, and I went to the New Year’s dinner while Jared stayed home. Jared’s parents didn’t keep us long so that we could make it back home in time to spend New Year’s Eve with him.
As it turned out, Cittie was unsettled by the sound of fireworks off in the distance. She is hypersensitive to loud noises, which I also experienced as a child. Had we pushed through and decided to go watch the fireworks, it would’ve been much more disturbing for her, plus we would have had to navigate a large crowd. I think it would have been sensory overload for her.
We also ended up having to comfort our cat, who was visibly stressed. Had we not been around, he could have been even more traumatized. In the end, things worked out.
With chronic illness as a permanent fixture our lives, we must be flexible and learn to adjust, especially when unexpected situations arise. It’s not always easy to manage. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that scenarios are often worse in my head than they turn out to be in real life.
We can always find a way to enjoy things in the moment, even when plans change.
Note: Hemophilia News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Hemophilia News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to hemophilia.
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