Bruised Pride, modesty, surrender… terms that every ALS patient has to accept during the course of the disease.

Bruised Pride… because slowly your own body denies you the ability to do simple things for yourself. You have to set your pride aside and come to terms with needing assistance with everything. There are many conditions that require total and complete care many are due to unfortunate accidents some are due too poor choices in life. However ALS and many other MND conditions are simply one’s own body attacking itself. As if the body one day wakes up and says, f*** you I’m done! No more Independence for you. Time for you to become a lump…

Modesty… this is another word you have to come to terms with because you have to set it aside. It doesn’t matter how much of an introvert how modest you are or how much of an exhibitionist your modesty is out the window. It doesn’t matter how you feel about your personal appearance you have to accept the fact that your arms hands and legs won’t allow you to care for yourself. If you don’t want to stink to high heaven someone needs to wipe your ass when you use the toilet. Someone has to shower you and eventually they will have to brush your teeth for you feed you and move you from bed to wheelchair Etc… at this point it doesn’t matter what it’s exposed what matters is maintaining healthy hygiene to avoid medical complications.

Surrender… this is one of the most important aspects should terminal condition. I’m not talking about surrendering to the condition and giving up on life. This has to do with surrendering yourself to others and accepting their love and support. If you don’t, and there are those that don’t, because they allow their pride to get in the way, you will live a miserable existence. Surrendering yourself to a higher power or your faith is a completely different post I will save that for another day.

If you are suffering with a terminal illness do not take the journey alone, do not push your loved ones away. Put your pride & modesty aside and surrender to the love and support that surrounds you.

Peace be with you,

The “Juan” and Only