What We All Take For Granted, We Never Should

We all have goals, wants, desires, and aspirations for ourselves, family members, and others.  To relieve stress many of us go to the gym, for a swim, out for a run, or even a walk.  If we are not the physical type we will sit and read a good book, watch a movie, or just sit and listen to our iPod.  What is missing from all of the above?  Other people.  Yes, some of these activities might involve other people in some way, but is it in a way that is meaningful to both parties?

My life has transitioned from one of being in excellent health, gregarious, outgoing, and not being able to sit still for a moment.  I always had to have something to do.  Regrettably, many times I used work for this something to do and at the expense of my own family.  I missed important events in my children's lives, dates with my wife, and even some major extended family events.  Why?  For my job, of course, which is very important.  That file needed to be reviewed, accounts updated, appointments kept even if they could only meet on a Saturday.  The day we were suppose to go to Bush Gardens.

I look back now and realize how messed up my priorities were and not knowing the difference between making a living and designing a rewarding life.  Things are very different now and it has only taken ten years.  Now my children are both grown and living their own successful lives.  My wife is still working for the same company she has worked with for the last 27 years and it looks like she will have to work until her late 60's.  What have I done?  How could I have been so blind and insensitive to what was occurring in my life and the path I was on to be regretful and most of all sorry.



You see, I took my health for granted thinking I would always be in good shape and looking with disdain at older over weight people saying, "I will never be like that and if so, just shoot me."  Then the symptoms started and continued to become more diverse and progressive even baffling the specialists.  Here I am 10 years later totally disabled due to a combination of neurological and brain diseases and with the worse of prognoses.  I am home bound leaving the house possibly three to five times a month and then only when my wife makes me go out.  I have constant sleep deprivation, severe exhaustion and fatigue at the least little effort such as simply taking a shower.  My body moves and distorts involuntarily with a mind of its own causing constant spasms and pain.  Communication is very difficult now diagnosed with progressive dysarthria.  I know what and how I want to say something, but have no control what comes out of my mouth.  Every word is a struggle resulting in people not understanding what I'm trying to say and causing serious frustration on my part.
Many of the daily tasks we do routinely without even thinking have become major obstacles requiring focused mental and physical effort to complete.  These include brushing my teeth, shaving, pouring a glass of water, eating by keeping the food on my trembling fork hoping it gets to my mouth not on my shirt.  Getting dressed has required serious ingenuity in accomplishing this task without falling over.  Yes, I spend a great deal of time on the computer, not unlike you.  But I require a combination of a one pound wrist weight to control my right hand and mouse, speech recognition software, a 23 inch HDTV monitor because of blurred and double vision.  None of this was ever expected 10 years ago because I was in control, good heath, great job which I was highly committed to, and I was never going to get old or fat.

Today, like every single day now, is an overwhelming struggle from hour to hour.  Never knowing how I'm going to feel regardless of the heavy narcotic pain and anti-spasm medications.  Simply deciding to get cleaned up for the day is a daunting decision process and I find I'm having to ask my wife to do more and more for me that 10 years ago I took totally for granted.  The lesson in this article, to take nothing for granted.  Teach yourself to actually see with your eyes open, listen to what you hear with your ears, and most of all give others acknowledgement and appreciation regardless how small the act.

Learn from me, take nothing in your life for granted and pay attention each and every day to prevent it from happening.  You never know, your 10 years may be just around the corner.