I Feel Good

I feel good this morning. I won't go as far as to say I feel better. My tummy, while getting better, is still sensitive.My bowels still feel moderately explosive.  My left leg was particularly stiff this morning. And I still have good old ALS to make my day. Yet with all of that, I'm doing all right.

Part of this is that Chris and Dianne are visiting me. Having such good house guests, and a friend who has known me forever, certainly makes life lighter. And of course Monday is sandwich day and Kathy did well in making them for me. I got a good night's sleep without taking a cookie or sleeping pill. I managed to go all night without soiling myself or my bed.

One of the great things about Monday sandwiches is that Kathy uses a lot of meat and cheese in them. It means my Monday's start with a real protien boost. Home Care has a limitation on food preparation. They are supposed to make a light breakfast, meaning toast or cereal, perhaps a coffee. There is such a low nutritional value in that kind of breakfast that I might as well just stick with coffee alone. Yet that lack of substance along with the absence of protein leaves me without energy, sluggish, unable to build enthusiasm for anything.

These days, as I contend constantly with the exhaustion of ALS, having moments like this, where I feel good, thanks to food, company and good care, are the simple high points of my day, and week. This disease is unremitting. So feeling good is a wonderful thing, not just a break from the strain of living with ALS. It's like a ray of warm sunshine on a chilly day here in Calgary. It happens often enough, yet it seems so special in that moment when it does happen.

Life is getting increasingly difficult for me. But with the care, compassion and help I get from Home Care, from friends, from family, all of it makes a difficul situation so much more livable. And I feel good.