Since I've been sick with ALS, I've been blessed with angels here and there. One friend that really stuck with me is my girlfriend, Judy. We were friends before and continue to be friends. She has been my faithful friend, water aerobics buddy, (even dressing and showering me), and caregiver in the early days. I sold her my beloved Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe and was pleased that my best friend would be riding it and loving it as much as I did.
My sponsor is another faithful friend. As a result of the ALS, I've had some behavioral issues, (either frontotemporal disease or PseudoBulbar Affect), and she has never hated on me and has always gone out of her way to support me. She even wrote out another fourth step for me when I lost the ability to write and before I could operate my Tobii. Of course, I had to voice my own people, institutions, resentments, fears, parts, defects, etc. One could say that she has shown me unconditional love and acceptance over nine years.
Another faithful friend has been my pal, Joseph, he is an acquaintance who turned into a real friend at a difficult time in my life. I was full blown FTD or PBA, and my husband wasn't coping well. The helpful attention of a good-looking, yet Godly man squiring me to meetings, lunches, and shopping was a boost to my battered ego. I thank his wife's patient understanding. He supported me despite my flaring bad behavior, when I railed at God, talked suicide and was abandoned by my husband. He continues to visit, bring meetings, and check on me.
Attending a memorial put me in touch with more acquaintances turned friends, Arlene and Ray. Ray, I've known from a distance for over twenty years. He has been a loyal friend bringing me meetings for the past year. Sharing his experience, strength, and hope (and his flaws) have given me the strength to perservere.
Arlene has got very near and dear to my heart. She's worked small miracles with different methods of massage out of the Kindness of her heart. Through our proximity, we got to know each other. We talked plants, crystals, cats, program. I loved visiting. Now she visits me. Actually, she's been visiting me a lot more. She's been an "up and beyond" friend. When my husband left, she was there for me, my cat, and my chickens. Caring enough to tell me the truth, and sober enough to do it without cruelty or needing to shove it down my throat. I truly value her friendship.
Another friend who showed up to support me in surprising ways, Kristin brought gentle acceptance, her precious little dog, and she saved my life. Truly. She did some caregiving of me when I suddenly could not eat, became desperately nauseous, and veritably wilted. She rushed me to the hospital to discover severe dehydration and an infection raging within my body. I was promptly admitted.
Jennie cleaned my home when I couldn't. She lovingly massaged lotion into my cramping feet; she gently broached the volatile subject of looking into nursing homes. She allowed me my dignity.
Andrea, my hairdresser, took me on as a once a week beauty appointment; shampooing and styling my hair and applying my make up, making my last year in life "outside" easier to face. This she took on as an opportunity to "give back". I was honored with her beautiful personality and occasionally, that of her daughter.
John, our daughters played together 20 years ago, who would guess that one day he'd help me in the bathroom or babysit me through the night while my husband worked. What a deeply caring friend, this man who once scared me.
Through water aerobics, I met many caring people but none more than my friend, Carol, who opened her heart and home to me. Despite having MS and being barely ambulatory herself, she was my caregiver for a week until I "broke" her.
To be continued...
My sponsor is another faithful friend. As a result of the ALS, I've had some behavioral issues, (either frontotemporal disease or PseudoBulbar Affect), and she has never hated on me and has always gone out of her way to support me. She even wrote out another fourth step for me when I lost the ability to write and before I could operate my Tobii. Of course, I had to voice my own people, institutions, resentments, fears, parts, defects, etc. One could say that she has shown me unconditional love and acceptance over nine years.
Another faithful friend has been my pal, Joseph, he is an acquaintance who turned into a real friend at a difficult time in my life. I was full blown FTD or PBA, and my husband wasn't coping well. The helpful attention of a good-looking, yet Godly man squiring me to meetings, lunches, and shopping was a boost to my battered ego. I thank his wife's patient understanding. He supported me despite my flaring bad behavior, when I railed at God, talked suicide and was abandoned by my husband. He continues to visit, bring meetings, and check on me.
Attending a memorial put me in touch with more acquaintances turned friends, Arlene and Ray. Ray, I've known from a distance for over twenty years. He has been a loyal friend bringing me meetings for the past year. Sharing his experience, strength, and hope (and his flaws) have given me the strength to perservere.
Arlene has got very near and dear to my heart. She's worked small miracles with different methods of massage out of the Kindness of her heart. Through our proximity, we got to know each other. We talked plants, crystals, cats, program. I loved visiting. Now she visits me. Actually, she's been visiting me a lot more. She's been an "up and beyond" friend. When my husband left, she was there for me, my cat, and my chickens. Caring enough to tell me the truth, and sober enough to do it without cruelty or needing to shove it down my throat. I truly value her friendship.
Another friend who showed up to support me in surprising ways, Kristin brought gentle acceptance, her precious little dog, and she saved my life. Truly. She did some caregiving of me when I suddenly could not eat, became desperately nauseous, and veritably wilted. She rushed me to the hospital to discover severe dehydration and an infection raging within my body. I was promptly admitted.
Jennie cleaned my home when I couldn't. She lovingly massaged lotion into my cramping feet; she gently broached the volatile subject of looking into nursing homes. She allowed me my dignity.
Andrea, my hairdresser, took me on as a once a week beauty appointment; shampooing and styling my hair and applying my make up, making my last year in life "outside" easier to face. This she took on as an opportunity to "give back". I was honored with her beautiful personality and occasionally, that of her daughter.
John, our daughters played together 20 years ago, who would guess that one day he'd help me in the bathroom or babysit me through the night while my husband worked. What a deeply caring friend, this man who once scared me.
Through water aerobics, I met many caring people but none more than my friend, Carol, who opened her heart and home to me. Despite having MS and being barely ambulatory herself, she was my caregiver for a week until I "broke" her.
To be continued...
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