Family Center - A Trucker's Wife
Make His Health a Priority
I worry incessantly. That is just ‘me' in a nutshell: a nervous Nelly. I found myself adding ‘Worrier' to my list of occupations when I last updated my résumé, so it did not surprise my husband when I began my personal crusade against his driver-specific health problems. That's right! I was going to avoid his developing obesity, blood clots, hypertension, and hemorrhoids or I would die trying! Ironic, isn't it?
First things first, and much to my husband's dismay, was a trip to the Proctologist. Sure! This may seem extreme, but consider all the time trucker's spend on their derriere! Hemorrhoids can quickly evolve into something more severe, so a proctology exam was a necessary evil. Ladies - your husband will fight you on this, and that is understandable considering how invasive the exam is and that your poor husband isn't even getting dinner and movie first. However, it is so pertinent that you do not let him avoid the visit. For his own health, the proctologist is a must.
Next was a visit to our General Practitioner for an overall physical. My husband had been complaining of incessant headaches for quite some time, and it turns out he was hypertensive. This is a condition that can quickly escalate and cause severe complications. The fix was simple: medication to control his blood pressure and a simple stretching routine to keep the blood flowing. My paranoia had gained ground and my husband was now appreciating, even cooperating with, my quest to attain healthy mind and body. I do believe, however, that he secretly plots revenge for the Proctology visit. I sleep with one eye open.
The final stop on ‘Paranoia Road' was the Eye Doctor's office! That's right - health issues are not just dangerous to the driver but also to drivers sharing the road with him. I appreciate a clean bill of eye-health as much as DOT does, and we were thankful to receive one! 20/20 after all these years was music to our ears.
I saw the opportunity to take my health crusade one step further and scavenged the internet for trucker specific exercises that my husband could engage in while braving layovers. The suggested routines were surprisingly simplistic and were well-received by my husband (much to my surprise as his idea of a workout typically revolves around walking to and from the kegerator while changing the oil in my car). We armed him with dumbbells and a stretchy, elastic thing that looked more like a torture device than workout equipment, and he was on his way to improved cardiovascular health! He promised to use them faithfully and to park a distance from rest stops because trekking to them was also a valuable opportunity to maintain cardiovascular health. Once there, he promised to choose salad over corndogs as often as was humanly possible in the face of temptation. I decided that this was a fair compromise.
Hypertension aside, our quest was a positive one! While the process caused my husband some apprehension, the results calmed his worried mind. After all, the thought of having to come off of the road must terrify him, so knowing that he's got some life left in him must have been quite a relief.
Lurking around every corner is a health problem that could end a driver's career, which is probably why our trucker husbands avoid check-ups like the plague. Sometimes it's up to you - the better half - to keep your hubby in tip-top, spit-shine condition. Don't take your responsibility lightly! You are the voice of reason and the driving force behind a Proctologist-approved, dumbbell-armed, bunny-eyed, healthy husband. Stay on top of him, ladies, and keep him around for a long time to come!
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