Day 345 – Our Superhero

We expected to hear from Dr. Sehgal on Thursday with Jeff’s liver function results but she didn’t call until Friday morning.  By then, his fever was 99.8 and his cold symptoms included a juicy, phlegmy cough and zapped energy.  Jeff called me at work to tell me about the phone call.  Good liver function!  He can continue the slow taper of Prednisone.  Super!

“Did you ask her about your cold symptoms?” I asked him.  “No,” he replied.  He reminded me that Dr. Sehgal had told him already that he could survive a cold.  She had said to call if his fever got over 100.4.  Jeff was afraid that a cold would hang on forever just like his cuts and scrapes that take a long time to heal.  If he was worried, I was really worried.  It was making me nervous to see him so tired and discouraged. 

I had planned on leaving work early to get my haircut by my niece, Amy Lyn, at my sister Judy’s house.  Jeff was going to come with me to have dinner with the Rillings.  By early afternoon, Jeff called to say he wouldn’t be able to go but that I should still plan to go without him.  He had gone to Home Depot to gather supplies for his next project, a pad in our backyard for the hot tub he bartered from Kerry and Theresa.  Evidently, he began shaking when he was exerting to load stone pavers onto a cart.  He was unable to finish loading his materials and asked for help from a Home Depot employee.  I asked Jeff if I should come home.  He said, “No.  I’m just in bed.”  I wrapped up my work early and headed home with Keith.  As we approached the house, we could see that Jeff had gotten the truck and trailer into the driveway and left it as he would not have normally.  Keith would have to shuffle things around to get the trailer and truck in the garage.

We found Jeff miserable, shivering under the covers.  I took his temperature, 100.4!  “We’re calling the doctor,” I told him.  We have Dr. Seghal’s number in our cell phones and she answered right away.  She asked questions about his breathing and his ability to walk.  I could only report that he was in bed, unable to answer these questions.  Finally, he muttered that he could walk.  Dr. Seghal felt that it was cold symptoms and said the hospital would have no magic cure for that.  The virus would pass, she assured me.  I tried to let her words calm me but I felt better when she gave this measurable instruction: “If his fever goes over 101, go to the ER.”  Ok.  We could do that.

I discussed Jeff’s care with Keith and left the house for my haircut and dinner with the Rillings.  It was good to see Judy, Mark and – miraculously – all three of their beautiful daughters were at home.  I got my hair cut.  Judy was next in the chair and then Sarah for a practice ‘do for her Kutztown graduation.  Fun!

After a great visit and good dinner, I headed home to find Jeff sitting in a chair watching TV.  Whew!  He did not look great but he was upright.  His temperature was 99.9.  Better. 

Saturday morning I awoke with some concern about Jeff’s fever.  Selfishly, I did not want Jeff’s illness to spoil my plans to go to the Titusville flea market with Kim.  This makes me sound so cold but honestly my concern was for Jeff and Kim, too.  Kim had come up the night before to stay over so we could leave early in the morning.  She would have understood if we couldn’t go but I did not want to disappoint her.  And, of course, I truly hoped Jeff was better.

My heart sang when I heard Jeff get up, go downstairs to let the dog out and unload the dishwasher.  I hoped he wouldn’t wake Kim up with his noisy chore.  The day turned out to be a good one all around.  Kim and I got to our flea market and did some shopping.  Jeff and Keith were able to prepare the hole for the hot tub pad.  Keith said his dad sweat like crazy with exertion but admitted he was beat from the activity, too.  Late in the afternoon, Keith asked whether I’d heard how high his dad’s fever was the day before when I was out, 102.4!  What?!  Jeff said he had told Keith it didn’t matter if his temperature was 104, he had no intention of going to the hospital.  I guess it was a good call because he was a whole lot better on Saturday. 

I am glad that scary episode is over.  Jeff’s cough persists but the fear of a return to the hospital has passed.  Just like old Jeff, he seems to have gotten a mini-version of a virus; he was inconvenienced for only part of a day.  I can’t help but feel that he somehow willed his fever gone.  He says, “It’s like I’m a superhero.”