Wednesday, December 10, 2025 – Day 484

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Good morning, everyone. Today’s post is about gratitude… and a gaffe.

Yesterday, my triplet brothers, Tom and Tim, stopped by for a visit. As luck would have it, they arrived at the exact same time as Stephanie, my PT. My brothers were looking for things to do, so Cindy put them to work on a handful of small tasks—jobs she would’ve had to tackle later herself. That alone was a gift.

While they were busy, Stephanie was taking my vitals and then went right back to evaluating my neck issues. She had me stand against a wall and try lifting my head up. It was nearly impossible. I think months of walking hunched forward have finally caught up with me. My neck and shoulder muscles are tight, weak, and just plain angry. So—more stretching exercises to focus on before next week’s PT appointment. Lucky me.

After Stephanie left, it was time for my midday formula feeding. Wanting to get back to the guys quickly (after all, I was the one who invited them), I rushed through the feeding. Meanwhile, Cindy kept Tom and Tim entertained, which she’s gotten very good at.

Unfortunately, as soon as I finished, I started to have some respiratory distress. Between the PT session and wolfing down my “lunch,” my body was worn out, and I just couldn’t get enough air to get comfortable. I called Cindy, and she helped me upstairs and onto the breathing machine. That pretty much ended the visit. The guys came up to say goodbye and promised to return next week. I just need to be better about not double-booking myself. It doesn’t take much to wipe me out these days.

Later in the afternoon, a friend of Cindy’s from her Motorola days, Ann Marie stopped by for a short visit. She came bearing gifts. I didn’t see everything in the bag, but I did see the tears in Cindy’s eyes—and that told me all I needed to know. It was meaningful. Thoughtful. And it meant the world to me, because I never want Cindy to get lost or forgotten in my ALS diagnosis. Thank you, Ann Marie

After she left, Cindy brought over a large basket that Tom had delivered earlier. I hadn’t seen him carry it in—then again, I don’t see much unless it’s brought right into my field of view. Greeting people at the door is no longer in the cards for me. The basket was overflowing with an assortment of snacks we can put out for visitors… or enjoy ourselves.

The generosity we receive still overwhelms me. It seems endless. I owe so many thanks to so many people. There are countless small acts of kindnesses that happen that I don’t even get the chance to write about. Please know that I am forever grateful for every one of them.

THE GAFFE When I woke up this morning and set my foot down, my sock got wet. My mind immediately went to the urinal—did something happen overnight? It was dark, and I couldn’t see where the liquid on the rug came from. My next step was to disconnect the feeding tube. When I reached down… that’s when the “oh shit” moment hit. The tube was already disconnected.

This was either going to be a small cleanup… or a very large one. And anyone familiar with formula knows it dries into a kind of industrial-strength glue if given enough time.

Cindy helped me get downstairs, and for the next hour I heard her mopping, blotting, scrubbing…doing whatever she needed to do to tackle the mess. I still don’t know the full extent of the damage. I just know it’s… not good. I haven’t gone back up yet because I can’t help; I’d only be in the way. When Cindy comes down later, she’ll give me the verdict. Gulp.

Have a great Wednesday. Love you guys! ❤️

Photo this morning from La Quinta, CA. Thanks Carrie for traveling with the AA shirt.