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My Day Begins

Began my day in the usual manner, awaken (rolling over to grasp the bedside grab bar to assist) align my hips and kick my legs out to rock up to sitting position, toilet (with or without help depending on energy and bedclothes), swallow a bunch of capsules and tablets (supplements) with water, sit down to apply my make-up in a modified routine (using built-up brushes and powders - still using Mary Kay Cosmetics for the most part.  Also a handicap shower chair at the open sink cupboard for my feet serves as my make-up table).  Husband mixes up my AAKG powder with juice and sets me up with breakfast, usually yogurt or warmed-up steel-cut oats.  I sit down to eat.  No longer  capable of eating on-the-fly.  Each bite is an effort to raise my fat-handled curved silverware to my mouth (with my non-dominant left hand) and then I must be mindful to chew and swallow with great care lest I choke or my swallow mechanism misfires.  Go back to brush my teeth with the SoniCare(R) toothbrush, seated with elbows on the counter.

Get dressed with the help of my husband, wearing underwear I don't want to wear, and sweatpants I would normally only wear to the gym and t-shirts or sweatshirts.  No more business suits, dresses, high heels or even mid-heels.  My choices are limited to ease of dressing and bigger is better for others to help me.  Flats, consisting of running shoes, leather scuffs, or flip-flops are my height of fashion.  (Sigh, even these choices will go away one day.)  More pills and tablets, placing the smallest in my spoonful of breakfast, to trigger the swallow reflex (and not choke).  A little meditative reading and prayers and I am ready to begin my day.

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