I realize anything that I might say will mostly be platitudes as I don't have ALS, but I will wade in anyway. My Tim is the most amazing person I have ever known, all be it a fairly short time having married July/11. I was the one that noticed the initial changes, and then sent him to ask his doctor to check him for ALS. He too like so many PALS was an amazing athlete and had abs that any 20 year old would envy. Initially after he was diagnosed he cried, mostly because he finally found a piece of happiness and did not want to die. After I moved him here to Canada from Texas, he became so determined to live his life to the fullest. He was told by one of his specialists that ALS was aging on steroids, and in many ways that is true, except that he has lost the ability to breath on his own and is paralyzed from the neck down. We both believe that God brought us the 2000 miles together, because he knew what we both needed. I needed a partner that would affirm me, and bolster my faith, and he needed a partner who could manage all that was going to come down the pipe. So, we are each other's support team, but we do have our tearful day, but thankfully they aren't usually at the same time. Tim mourned the loss of his hands the most, but is so thankful that he is still able to speak clearly inspite of requiring a ventilator. We have the most amazing church family that have stepped up and help out in too many ways to mention in this thread.
Humour is our greatest weapon, and we both love to joke around and it is that humour and positive attitude that draws so many to help Tim. Now Today I was getting down onto the floor to lay on my bolster and stretch my shoulders, and on the way down a fairly large fart slipped out. Normally that isn't a big deal at all, but Tim's daughter and boyfriend were visiting and they heard it. Then after my stretching I just about couldn't get up off the floor as my knees are so weak these days, just from plain old aging. Push ups? My right shoulder creaks and pains me too much to even try. I remember the days that I could do front or back flips on the floor landing on my feet, skiing double black diamonds until my legs burned, but they hung in for a very long time. No, I don't have ALS but I am aging, and even I notice the things that used to be easy that I can't do anymore. But I will probably live into my 90's if my grandparents are any indicators, and I will have to live all that time, feeling 20 in my brain, but unable to do the things that I want. But my plan is to learn new things, that I can do and do them. I am a hyperactive person, and was an adrenalin junky but I think God is training me how to slow down and see the beauty that he created for us to enjoy, and Tim in pointing them out to me everyday. I am sorry that some of you don't have a parter with you, and I dread the days that I will be alone again, but what are my alternatives. I chose to keep my head down and my butt up if I can, and push on, and one day I hope to hear "Well done good and faithful servant" and I know then that those hard times were only a blink, leading me to somewhere glorious.
God Bless, and I will be praying for all of you.
Paulette