This Man

THIS MAN

#41

LUCAS HENDRY

"Precious come on we are going to be late for the meeting." My woman has been on and off lately. She's moody, she eats too much sugar and her clumsiness has gotten worse. She sleeps alot not forgetting the sweating for no reason.

"One more minute," she whines covering herself with the a flee and I just know if I let her sleep now she will wake up midday.

"Woman wake up before I kill you." I command her and I just know she won't bath. Her and water don't mix, she will definitely wipe those important areas. And that for her she has bathe.

"I don't feel good." She says trying to sit up and I just look at her, this has become her daily song. I'm sure she even has a remix for it. I look at her trying to get off the bed but she falls back closing her eyes.

"Are you okay?" I'm concerned, I know when she's pretending and I know when she's serious and right now she is not faking anything.

"I.….I can't breathe." She tries to control her breathing, the more she does these breathing exercises the most she sweats.

"Shit you so freakin burning…… you know what thats it I'm taking you to the hospital." I scop her up taking her to the car. Thankfully Gerald is at school. I will have to inform Austine to drop him by his Gabs. I keep checking her temperature while driving and it feels like it is increasing.

AT THE HOSPITAL

"No I'm not staying behind, that's my wife my only wife. She will flip if she doesn't see me when she wakes up, trust me in know what I'm talking about." I can't have a man touching my wife without my presence.

"Fine, please step aside and let us do our job." The doctor says. I watch them as they shoved those needles in and out of her withdrawing blood samples from her system. Her eyes are half closed, atleast she's still breathing and that is a sign of relief.

"Will she be okay?" I ask the doctor who was busy taking off his gloves. I can't loose her she's the only thing that makes sense to my life. This woman is my sanity even though she drives me mad at times.

"We will have to do our research using the blood samples we took. And from there we will know what is the problem. For now her temperature is swelling down, which is a good sign." He says picking up a small container.

"As long as my wife is going to be okay, that's all that matters." What will I tell my son his very fond of his mother. I will have to postpone the meeting, my wife's health comes first. And I will have to contact her mother.

__________

I've been stuck in this hospital for three fucken hours and no one is even bothered to update me. I swear I'm going to sue this hospital for making me wait this long. I look at her and she was fast asleep, that is what she does lately 'she sleeps.'

"Mr Lucas, can you please follow me." Doctor pleads with me. Finally some movement, the waiting is totally unacceptable!
I follow him behind wondering why is he asking to speak to me in private.

"Please have a seat." He points out at the chair that was next to me. I hope the news he is about to deliver is nothing drastic.

He cleared his throat and looked at me. "For how long has your wife been sick?" A question I did not expect.

"Couple of weeks." I reply. Now I'm starting to think that there is definately something wrong here.

"Well…… Mr Lucas your wife is six weeks pregnant….." the doc tells me and he paused for a moment.

"What! As in pregnant, pregnant like preggies pregnant with cravings? A baby?" He shakes his head and continues to read whatever was on the notes.

"Is she on any medications?"

"No, no that I know of." I don't remember in fact I've never seen her.

"Your wife is diagnosed with Dysprxia." He tells me and I'm just dumbfounded. What kind of disease is that.

"What! What on earth is that?" I finally managed to ask.

"Dyspraxia is a neurological disorder that affects her ability to plan and process. People with this disease appear awkward when moving their whole body. When one is diagnosed with Dysprxia they can't imitate others. Often mix up with the steps in a sequence and can't come with my ideas. It's is sometimes called 'clumsy syndrome."

"What." My voice comes out as a whimper. This explains her change of character all the time. "Does her mind function properly?" I ask.

"They intend to forget things or to not notice things. They have lack of attention more like naive but too naive to a point where they sometimes do not pay attention to what is happening right infront of there eyes." He explains further. Now this got me wondering, is the baby safe though.

"What about the pregnancy? Is the baby in some sort of danger?" What will happen now?" I ask too many questions at the same time.

"Avoid stress by all cost, it may affect the baby as early as seventeen weeks after conception with potentially harmful effects on brain and development.

"This is frustrating, will my baby also be diagnosed with this Dara Dara what what?" This thing is tearing me up and I don't even know how to react to the situation.

"It's more often found in boys than girls. Each individual can inherit this condition from a parent and it affects the performance of the neurological system. So the chances are most likely 50/50."

"Wow," I rub my face in frustration. "What do I do now? Isin't there cure or prevention for this?" I ask hoping there is.

"Unfortunately there is no cure for dyspraxia, but there are strategies that can help. Occupational therapist will look at the fine motor and perceptual skills. Together with activities of daily living such as household tasks and organisational skills help strategies to improve."

"I'm speechless, it's…….. I can't even explain it." I say.

"She just needs occupational therapy that will help her find practical ways to remain independent and manage everyday tasks such as writing and preparing food.
And then there's cognitive behavioural therapy, it's a talking therapy that will help her manage problems by changing the way she thinks and behave. Since she is pregnant you have to make sure that she stays healthy as she can. It will help the child from developing the condition. She must also avoid crying it can cause dipression during pregnancy." He further explains.

"It's a lot to take in." I say loosening my tie and unbuttoning my first two buttons of my shirt. This is more stressful. "I'll try and be the best supportive husband." I say.

"Just try not to stress her and all will be well and she must avoid driving." The doctor adds.

_________

When I left the hospital my wife was still fast asleep. The doctor mentioned that she's going to have trouble sleeping when time goes by probably in her second trimester if not the first. I need to be more cautious when it comes to her and I know for a fact that she will flip when she wakes up not finding me next to her even though sometimes she doesn't acknowledge my presence. Probably go Jackie Chan on the doctors. I passed by her mothers to inform her regarding the situation and she was beyond shocked.

"But I did suspect when she was growing up that something was different about her. She was different from every other kid.  I remember seeking medical help but the doctor said she was perfectly fine." Her mother says.

"I don't even know what to say. I will have to support her at all cost and make sure I don't stress her through out the pregnancy." I say.

Sigh!

"By God's grace she will have a smooth pregnancy without any complications and she will deliver a healthy and an unharmed baby. I cannot believe I'm going to be a grandmother again." She beams in joy. For the fact that she acknowledges my son as her first grandson means a lot to me.

"I pray so too." I'm that type of person who normally doesn't believe in God. I don't even know how to pray. But here I am today asking him to be there for my family throughout.