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Alyoop

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Well I went for a swim, nothing strange in that. I struggled through my 20 lengths (12 metre pool). I have spent a few weeks increasing my upper body strength. Before christmas i could only do 5! I got out of the pool so proud of my achievement. Half an hour passed and I got hot, so I went back in.
I started doing lengths again. I did 2 lengths for each of the Cals and pals at our tea party. Backwards and forwards. Just thinking of each and everyone of you, on your own laps......2 for Ann, 2 for Dianne, 2 for Liz etc got to Barry and finally Peter. I could not believe it. I never felt tired. Just did each stroke thinking, praying. I sat on the steps, closed my eyes and prayed for Joel. I almost felt embarrassed that he was now able to see me. It felt rather odd, talking to him in the sun. I felt no sadness, just warmth and happiness.

When I realized I had just swum 40 lengths, I was amazed. The strength of the human spirit. I just had to stop focusing on myself and focus on others. What a great way to pray!

Aly
 
Aly- this is the first time ive smiled in awhile. thank you. that is so amazing and im very happy for you that you were able to swim that much!
Joel. Dear Joel.
Think I will PM you...
 
Aly, thanks for swimming for me. I used to love to swim and snorkle and scuba dive and miss it so much.

Here's to Joel watching us and smiling!
 
Thanks for doing 2 laps for me Aly.

Like Barry i liked to swim when i was younger. In high school was the captain of our house swim team one year.

Your post about swimming bought back memories for me.

thanks for that.

Cheers Peter.

p.s. last in your post, damm, you must have seen my back stroke races. :lol: :lol:
 
Ha ha Peter.
I only swim with my arms. I have no kick. I have taken a load of ibuprofen. I think I overdid it a tad.:)
 
Aly and the gang.

You all made me picture some of the same things. What a laugh and smile. Joy to all of you for thinking positive. Speaking of
positive, W. Clement Stone said; "What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve." He is the original owner of Combined
Insurance. He is the founder of many Positive Mental Attitude statements. PMA
It is our attitude not our aptitude that controls our altitude. "IF IT IS TO BE IT IS UP TO ME"

Don't be a SNIOP Seceptable to the Negative Input of Other People.

Continually select each environmental influence that will enable you to achieve your highest objectives.

We shall work on these! Go get um... Finally,
An old Chinese Proverb. "Believe what is, not what you think." :)

Jim
 
Good deal, Aly. Thanks for my laps. I was only a side stroker, not a good swimmer at all. I do want to comment on your maturity, in doing the swimming and waiting for your muscles to complain before using ibuprofen. My "back doctor", a Neuro who left to open a musculo-skeletal clinic, used to ask me what I'd done when I presented myself to get help. Once, I had to admit (and I did "have to", my face gives me away) that I'd taken Vioxx so I could clean all the windows in this house in one day. Thirty something windows. I had stuck both a rib where it shouldn't have been as well as my nemesis, the sacroiliac joint. I really paid for that stupidity, and quit playing so hard. Come to think of it, my ALS symptoms had already been going on then for six months, but hadn't begun to worry me.

Thinking of others. Aly, you are so special. I hope you regain your strength fast.
 
No laps for me?...lol
 
Oh Joni. I did do laps for you. Just couldnt be bothered writing it all down.

I think what I was trying to say in my rather poorly put together post was, that when you put your eyes on God and others, you just forget about yourself and can achieve so much more. When people were negative around me last year, I always seemed to develope the symptom that they excpected. It was very strange. When I was told you will go on to develope ALS. I stared having breathing problems, swallowing problems, walked worse, used a cane for a day and so on. When I got stuck in, to prove to othere that I was actually doing just fine, dropped the anxiety, then the new symptoms slowly just dissappeared.
So you swim and think "this is going to be impossible, I have a neurological disease. My husband says "you will be too weak to swim". So you are. But under all that rubbish. I proved yesterday, that taking your eyes off yourself helps you heal, gives your spirit strength and can help others. It certainly has lifted my mood.
I think thats what I try and tell people on the Do I have ALS forum. If you think you have ALS you just start getting the symptoms! Forget about yourself and move on.
What gave me strength and healing last year was actually this forum. When you see other so deeply affected on a day to day basis, yet so strong. You look at your stupid foot drop and limpy walk. and say So what, Stop crying at least you can walk. So I cant get up slopes.....at least I can do everything else. So I wont be able to keep up with my grand children.........at least I will hold them.

Now I am blabbing. Been awake pretty much all night and am on a high! Ann I keep forgetting about my neck fusion. I honestly forget sometimes and pay for it!
Gentleman Jim. Thanks for those words. I am going to put them on my fridge!
Love to you all
Aly
 
Aly we love you too! sometimes we need to sit back and put things in perspective most definately/
 
Aly,
What a terrific "Object Lesson" your laps in the pool are! This is something that I find a real challenge: to forget about the various symptoms and keep playing the game. As the world closes in little by little it can be difficult to look up and out. I really appreciated the way you wrote about it in your second post yesterday.

I used to swim a mile on Mondays, and a kilometer on Wednesdays and Fridays. That was a while back!

Thank you!
 
Hi All, guess I'm a bit jealous of Aly's swim... my son and his friend asked me last week if they could ice skate on our little upright pool! 15' round x 4' tall ice cube in my back yard. (Had to tell them no, its got a cover over the top).

Aly, I really liked what you said about not paying attention to your symptoms and just keep moving on... I met with the social worker today, and told her that I keep forgetting there's anything wrong with my gimpy drop foot and back, until I get up to do something, and I hobble and limp along, holding on to everything so I don't topple over! I need to do so much planning, put my house on the market, meet with a lawyer and/or financial planner, and keep working as long as I can, so I love to come here and feel all of your spirit. Don't forget to do what we want to, just remember to take the ibuprofen handy! (Not to mention the walkers, etc.)
 
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