No, despite the title, this is not a post about John Lennon or the song, which I do love, by the way.
Just for a moment, I want you to imagine yourself waking up one morning. At first you feel OK. You make your way to the kitchen to get your breakfast and choke on your cereal. You forget eating and decide to try for a shower. You get your shower, struggle into your robe and collapse on the couch, exhausted. Forget the hair and makeup. That will have to wait, if it gets done at all. You are having trouble breathing. Your vision is blurred or doubled. Your legs feel like jello.
You know something is wrong. You go to the doctor. He calls it "stress" and tries to give you tranquilizers. You don't buy it and you keep going to doctors for the next two years until someone finally figures it out.
You have myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disease that causes muscles to fatigue easily and become weak. If you have a type that does not respond well to medication, your life has changed dramatically.
I have been diagnosed with this disease for the past 8 years. Looking back, I know I had it several years before I was diagnosed.
But, I am not writing this in an attempt to gain sympathy.
What I want you to do is imagine.
Imagine yourself being diagnosed tomorrow with an incurable neuromuscular disease that will change your life forever.
What would you do differently TODAY?
Just imagine.
4 comments:
I just can't imagine, Karen!
I think I might take some long walks, and really relish being able to do so as long as I could; I expect I would throw a ginormous pity party at some point; and I would hope that I would begin trying to figure out what gifts this might bring me.
If you are any indication, the gift would be a true and deep appreciation for all the things that MG does not take from you: humor, caring, finding pleasure in the small things that the rest of us take for granted.
My friend you are so poignant, and wise! Thank you for the reminder that life should be LIVED, every day, to the fullest! After all, NONE of us know what lies around the corner for us!
Excellent post! Every day is a treasure.
Karen, what a thoughtful reminder to all of us to pay attention and live in the moment.
I wish for anything that MG had not robbed you of your physical strengths, but as El beautifully stated, it could not take away your amazing gifts of compassion, thoughtfulness and downright good fun. You were such a kick in STL and I'm so thankful that I can call you a friend.
Happy New Year
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