If I am devastated...how must she feel??!

I belong to a number of 'groups' as I go about living my life. One group that I regularly socialize with consists of women whose children were at school with my two girls. One of these ladies has been experiencing problems with her voice over the last 12 months or so...it was as though she had permanent laryngitis. She has been to a number of ENT specialists, but tests revealed nothing. My friend also noticed that one of her legs 'seemed heavy' and her usual brisk walk to the station each morning was becoming more difficult. 

Another lady in this group is a radiographer and our friend's problems intrigued her. This lady suggested  that our friend ask her GP to refer her for neurological tests as the ENT specialists had had no answers. Our friend had to insist she be sent for these tests as her GP thought it was a waste of time...😒

Just under a month ago, our friend got the results of her tests. It was devastating news...she has Motor Neurone Disease. ( also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease and ALS, depending on what country you live in) 

'Motor neurone disease (MND) is the name given to a group of diseases in which the nerve cells (neurones) controlling the muscles that enable us to move, speak, breathe and swallow undergo degeneration and die.'

The prognosis is not very good I'm afraid. Our friend got this diagnosis a few days before she was due to fly overseas to visit her only child. The specialist told her to have her holiday, so that is where she is at present. When she comes home, she plans to move to a complex with various levels of accomodation. She will first go to an independent living townhouse and then as her need for care arises, she will still be able to be in the same complex. Our group are discussing how we can help...and reading everything we can about this terrible disease. 

During this last month, I've found that attending the gatherings of the other groups I belong to, has been great in lifting my spirits...

Knitting group at Albany Creek..

Show and Tell at Sisters of Stitch at Chermside Library...

Show and Tell at Sunday Stitchers at Coomera...

One think that 'struck me' when I heard of my friend's illness...in all the years I've known her, she has ordered fruit toast without butter as she felt butter or margarine should be avoided because they are fat...so she ate dry toast.