It was so emotionally draining to tell my son about the family diagnosis.  Eventually he will be tested, but not right now.

We have been surrounded by colds, pneumonia and other viruses for quite a few weeks.  My Dad hasn’t been feeling so great lately.  Finally getting some relief with a med pack and cough syrup.  It is so rough looking at your parents aging.  Yeah aging is inevitable, but as my Mom and I discussed today…..he seems to be aging faster than before. As I read papers and HD info, I see many of the symptoms in my Dad.  It saddens me to see this.  Other times it isn’t nearly as noticeable.  My Aunt was told that HD is often exasperated by stress and other health issues so maybe that’s why I’m noticing it alot more lately.  I pray for strength to assist my folks as long as I possibly can and to assist my Mom and Brother in the years ahead with Dad. We all are considered caregivers and will face some rough decisions ahead.  I can’t imagine the day we have to tell him no more legal decisions, no more financial responsibility and probably hardest of all would be no more driving.  Hopefully it’s a few years away.  I think it’s even harder realizing at some point my family will be making the same decisions for me.   Independent living and making decisions for myself is definitely something I will miss.  How can it be handled in a way as not stress him and later myself; I wonder?

FML & HD have definitely altered our lives.  I often wonder why my family, why my Dad, why my brother, why me? I never thought as a teenager or young adult that my life would change so drastically.

There is always always always someone worse off than you – yet another reason to be thankful for.

I do have to give many thanks that we aren’t sick every day as bad as the worst days, that I’m not more clumsy, more forgetful or having more tremors.  It seems even functionimg one better day or a string of okay days often results in a painful day or days to follow….sore skin & muscles, sore swollen joints, massive headaches, low grade fevers seem to be the norm.  I often need days to recover from standing to shop for groceries even.

Aunt Viola is sick and is having complications of pneumonia and/or pneumonitis and visiting her is scary.  I catch everything it seems to go around again and again so I worry about visiting.

After a hectic day tomorrow, I’m hoping for a relaxing Thanksgiving and the weekend after.