Wow again, and thanks so much for your support. Zaphoon, the check is in the mail. :lol:
I thought I had ranted plenty on this forum (see posts to Wright and BooBoo and about my husband's condition) but if you're tired of hearing me view life as a cosmic joke, here's a trailer for beth's upcoming attractions and a promise: I will DEFINITELY try to work more negativity into my posts. (A little sarcasm is always welcome, right?)
1) ALS sucks big time. In fact, there are days I say, "Thank God ALS is fatal." . This is not exactly breaking news about ALS, but we each have to discover this for ourselves.
2) To all the men who say, "Thank heavens for my wife," I'd like to know where you get one of those thingies. (By thingies, I mean wives. I'm not trying to take this in an indelicate direction, although things tend to drift that way on this forum, especially when I'm around.) Can these "wives" be ordered online? Can I get a "mommie" version, or do they only come in "long-suffering spouse"?
3) The two falls I had last week? They still hurt like hell. LIKE FREAKIN' HELL !
4) I've lost 4 more pounds since getting the PEG a couple weeks ago. My weight hasn't been this low since they took Preludin off the market. The tube doesn't work most of the time and I'm lucky to get one can of Ensure a day inside me instead of all over the bedspread. (I tube strawberry since the spills look so pretty on my white bedspread. I sometimes throw in a litle chocolate for the Jackson Pollock effect.)
5) It has taken me 4 (5 or 6?) months to get a working BiPap with proper settings. However, now that it works I think it is the greatest thing since the discovery of tobacco. Seriously. Tip for those who want to stop smoking: If you get a craving, take several deep, deep breaths like you are inhaling a smoke and the craving will often go away. (Of course, some smokers like Bill C. don't inhale.
) See the things you learn online? Anyway, the BiPap was a delightful surprise. I had planned to resist it with all my might. Guess that doesn't count as a rant. Sorry. I can't see a downside to BiPap.
6) Getting the DynaVox to work (after waiting since last July for it to be delivered) has taken four home service calls. The last one shorted out our whole phone line to the house. I have programmed in some appropriate remarks on the DynaVox for occasions when it shorts out the whole L.A. Basin, if not the whole Left Coast.
7) My latest lability symptom is standing in the kitchen screaming and pounding my fists on the counter. If there were some way to upload an audio tape on this forum, I'd show you how the pros do this rant business. Plus, I'm finally starting to get the laughing lability, too. This adds depth and character to my meltdowns. Guess that isn't really a rant, either, but work with me on this, folks. Cut me some slack, cause I have ALS.
8-10) Finally, I just happen to find life and humanity (including myself) very, very funny much of the time. That is how I cope. Despite this, I am very, very sorry that we are all going to die ... especially me ... but that would happen with or without ALS.
Conclusion. I don't know how many weeks/days/months you folks have left, but I don't have enough to squander any. I tend to enjoy life, when I'm not pounding the kitchen counter, slamming doors, and generally cussing out the world. (And actually, I kinda sorta enjoy those episodes, too.) Life is like a freeway: Sometimes you just have to flip the bird. (Other times you have to lie there and think of England.)
(Rose ... thanks for noticing the acid ! Very astute :lol
Let's all hang in there.