THIS is ALS

Midway through ALS awareness month I took those three letters and put them under a microscope for a closer look.

Normal - Content - Thankful

 

Normal popped up first because it has been fading daily from my world.  While coping with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) normal begs to be redefined each morning and I am not alone.  As science continues to search for the ALS triggers, they continue to attack veterans, the young, the old, male and female.  As we wait for a clue and a cure all I can do is send out SOS's when possible and raise my voice one keystroke at a time.

As muscles waste, ALS forces your body into a small box of content.  There are fingernails uncut and itches unscratched.  Towards the end of this complacent journey we will be left with the use of two objects, eyes and mind.  Most ALS patients call this a blessing to examine the past and gaze the future.  Without ALS awareness, people may think they're normal but may never understand involuntary content. 

Thankful, of course I'm Thankful.  With ALS you are going to require special care.  I used to have a wife but today she also serves as my caregiver and forever thankful to her.  I am thankful she feeds me, brushes my teeth, baths me, shaves me, and combs my hair.  When a spouse becomes a caregiver, true love is displayed most when they have no objections to their new role.  I am thankful for those simple one directional hugs because I will always have the sense of feel.

So, I type onward with two fingers, two eyes, I feel sort of normal, content and evermore thankful.