Friday, August 22, 2025 – Day 374

Friday, August 22, 2025

Good morning—today begins with gratitude, and it begins with you.

First, thank you to Peggy, my care coordinator and friend. She read the blog yesterday and noticed my need for a cushion for my bony backside and jumped on it right away. In a day or so, relief will arrive for my achy bony butt. I keep mentioning difficulties I’m having and Peggy keeps finding solutions to them. Thank you!!

Thank you to Mark B. and Mike H. for hauling away the extra dresser from the 2nd floor. Clearing out furniture makes space for all the “durable medical equipment” piling into the house. Of course, losing storage means Cindy is now staring at a mountain of dresser contents, wondering where it all goes. The sad truth: probably charity. A townhouse only has so much room, and ALS gear isn’t exactly space-friendly.

Thank you to my sister-in-law Jill, who delivered a pan of delicious lasagna. Between that and leftovers from last week’s birthday bash, Cindy hasn’t had to cook all week. Actually, I’m not sure I remember the last time she cooked—and I’m not about to complain. Dinner duty = handled.

Thank you to my mystery book fairy for keeping me supplied with John Sandford’s Prey series. I finally cracked open Wicked Prey, set during the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul. It brought back the memory of John McCain’s VP pick—Sarah Palin. Let’s just say it wasn’t exactly a masterclass in political decision-making.

I’ve still got five more books stacked up after this one, and eight more yet to arrive. At this pace, by the time I finish the series, Sandford will have released another one in 2026. As for the identity of my secret supplier… still no idea. Either I’m not asking the right people—or they’re all very good liars.

Yesterday we made it out to the outdoor pool at the fitness club, with Barb B. joining us. She’s great company, and another set of helping hands for Cindy. Still, watching Cindy and Barb muscle me out of the car into the wheelchair was a gut punch. They did the same routine for their mom for more than 25 years—it’s muscle memory for them. And here they are, doing it again. It’s not fair, and it makes me sad. ALS is only going to make these transfers harder, and that thought weighs heavy.

But here’s the truth: every single one of you who reads this blog, who helps in ways big and small, is part of what keeps us moving forward. Your willingness to jump in—without hesitation—lifts our spirits and gives us the fuel to keep living fully, even with ALS in the house. Sometimes we don’t even know what kind of help we need, but when we figure it out, you’re already there. Thank you. 🙏❤️

Have a great Friday. Love you guys! ❤️