DVT

 As you probably know, I have spent most of my adult life in retail.  I have made many friends along the way.  After Belk closed officially in 1996 in Columbia, almost everyone went to other places.  Some stayed with the Belk organization in other towns and cities.  Others took jobs where they could find them.
 My friend Ginger from those days went to work at USC.  I had a day off from Rich's and thought I would pay her a visit.  As I was walking toward her work, I had a sharp pain in my right leg.  It made it very difficult to walk.  The pain was intense.  I made it to her job and told her that I was in a lot of pain.  She urged me to go to the doctor.  I had noticed some pain while at Rich's, but had just ignored it.  I have had lower back pain almost my entire life, so I just thought they were related.  But, this seemed worse.
 I went to see the doctor that day.  They did some tests and suggested I get an ultrasound on my leg.  They were worried that I had a clot in my leg that could move to my heart, lungs or brain.  They made an appointment for me to go to an ultrasound lab near USC.  When I got there, the nurse said that the jelly they were to put on my leg would feel funny.  It started out cold and quickly turned hot.  They ran the detector over my leg and found I didn't have a clot.  That was the good news.  The bad news was that I had Deep Vein Thrombosis which was causing the pain.  The veins in my right leg were swollen.  I was given a prescription for some support hose.
 When I got to Hawthorne Pharmacy, I was fitted for the hose.  I had worn tights before in plays, but this was way more substantial.  The hose was designed to support my leg and allow the blood to flow smoothly through my veins.  I could tell an immediate difference.  No more pain.  The hose went all the way up to my hip.  The nurse said I could wear a garter belt to keep them up, or I could use a rubber band.  I opted for the rubber band.  I asked her how long I would need to wear them.  She said for as long as I lived.
 I put it on my right leg and went to work.  The rubber band was tight, so I took it off and just held it up by tugging from my pants pocket.  That seemed to work okay.  I wore it pretty much every day at work for several years.  Gradually, I started feeling I didn't need them every day, so I started wearing them when I felt the need.  I started walking more and getting some exercise, which helped my leg.  I now wear them when I know I am going to be standing up for a long period of time, or when I become inactive and need the support.  A result of 30 years of retail.