Jackie - good on you for being proactive with your health and your wife's, also. An "ounce of prevention" holds true here. For some relief with your lower legs - have you tried compression socks? They do provide some help for vascular issues, especially if you're on your feet all day, but can be a real b*tch to get on. Just a thought...I guess we are good to go for now. I have a lot of problems with my legs below the knee. Mostly bad veins that I will have looked at in the near future.
Mike