Enjoyed meeting the doctors and other ALS Clinic staff at Billings Clinic. Unfortunately, I performed poorly on my respiratory tests. 65% in October; 44% in January. So their recommendations are a Trilogy for help breathing, and a PEG tube for supplemental nutrition. While those aren't considered big deals to get, I am facing the downhill slide. I truly can't envision being in this or worse condition for another year.
I watched Paul take down the Christmas tree yesterday. Will I see another? Of course, none of us know the answer to that question for ourselves. Thus, we just live each day, and try to be thankful for all we have been given. Still, that question was placed in front of me when I got my diagnosis, and it tends to be helpful to make me think deeply on events and activities that I experience, as I truly don't know when it will be the last time.
I can look at this new piece to help me feel happy.
The profusion of color is important to me given the weather and difficulty going outside. I love going outside, even now in the cold, but I am reluctant to ask for the time-consuming and trying effort of getting range of motion exercises done, getting me out of bed, fed, dressed, put in outerwear, shovel snow off my ramp, and enough blankets to keep me warm. All that has to be done by a family member, and my independent decisions about desired activities are completely reliant on them being willing and able to enact the needed preparation. So I more often stay in pajamas and read or watch Netflix.
That is still a pretty darned good life, though, when I think of how millions of people live in poverty, fear, hunger, pain, destruction or any of the other ills brought on by Man's inhumanity. I have ALS? Sure, it's a disease, and it changed my life completely, but people die from this and other causes and diseases all the time. Aneurysms, heart attacks, cancer...the list is long. As for me, I am always going to remind myself how lucky I truly am.
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