Much Weaker Arms

My arms have been progressing pretty steadily this last year. I thought I might get a break, but alas, no luck. The progression of atrophy and dead motor neurons means my arms have grown even weaker, well past the tipping point of total loss. My arms flop a bit as I move them about; the big muscles no longer hold that well. I need to rest them whenever engaging in long term tasks. As to lifting, that is a dream far lost to me.

It's the loss of those big upper arm muscles which is really impacting me, as well as the forearm muscles now well into a slide of their own. These big upper arm muscles used to work. When they did, the upper arms did all the lifting, all the moving about. Now that my lifting muscles are dead, it means I have tremendous difficulty lifting my arms, all on my own. I've found that about one or two kilogrammes is my reasonable limit from the floor up. Anything heavier, like a sack of potatoes or canned goods on a high shelf, means asking for help.

I can't put anything up on the second shelf in my kitchen cupboards. Fortunately long term planning means that most of my essential daily goods are on the first shelves of each cabinet. I'm having difficulty taking things off the bottom shelf of the fridge; it requires substantial use of my weak core muscles and weak upper arm muscles. I can no longer sit myself upright in bed, even with the use of the M-rail.

Then comes the worst news. I can no longer wipe my own ass. Not at all. Not even if the positioning is perfect with the commode chair over the toilet. My arms are no longer strong enough to push past my thighs and into the cleansing area, the toilet. Remember I have that spray to help. These days all I do is spray. No more active washing or wiping. I have an idea about this too. I can get one of those bum washing wands. You see, losing strength doesn't mean it has to stop. Sure, some of it does. Sure, eventually all of it does. But today, right now, I am still going, only with weaker arms.