Life has a way of giving you a massive reality check at times though doesn't it?
On Friday I was told that Val Franklin had passed away, then on Sunday we found out that Rob Burrow had lost his battle against the disease. A stark reminder that at present there is only one winner when MND is involved.
I'm guessing that some of you reading this may well have known Val and so are fully aware of the lovely person she was. I first met her next to the 18th green at Rushcliffe Golf Club, as we waited for a group of ladies to finish a '72 holes in a day challenge'. Raising money for Stand Against MND. Val was one of the first people I'd met in person who also had MND. At that time I was visibly more advanced in my progression than Val, in my powered wheelchair and reliant on my ventilator. A casual observer would never have known we had the same illness.
Val would later tell me that she found that first meeting quite difficult. Looking at me was frightening, like seeing what the future could hold. To their enormous credit, Val and her husband Pete agreed to come over for a cup of tea to pick my brains about my journey. Nobody ever warns you about the mountains of admin that come with a degenerative disease, and if you don't keep up with it at your end you might not get the help you need. I'd been through a lot of it and I hope had a few useful tips.
Opening up and wanting that information takes immense courage. It shows in my view an acceptance of your circumstances, and a determination to make the most of the time you have. I'm so pleased that Val and I shared that outlook.
You would never have known what we were discussing based on the amount of laughter in the room. I was left with that familiar feeling of confusion as to why MND seems to attack such lovely people.
Val and her family became and remain stellar supporters of the charity, and I would frequently see them at the monthly golf club quizgo (highly recommended if you enjoy trivia and are of course willing to donate any winnings to a local charity...)* Val always had a smile and a chat whilst Pete always had a one liner at the ready.
*Not compulsory
Over time we saw each other less and less as we both found spending time out and about more challenging, until I heard the news last Friday. RIP Val, it was lovely to know you. All my love to the Franklin family.
A life with MND, particularly when you are integrated with patient communities on line and in person, means that losing people is tragically a frequent occurrence. A consistent reminder of your own proximity to death.
So how to react to such sobering news on such a regular basis? I remember I am alive. I have opportunity. I love. I laugh, I strive, I experience. In Vals honour, in Robs honour, for all the fallen warriors I've lost along the way,
I will live the most significant life I can muster.
Nothing else matters
1654 comments
Advice to save your marriage and get your Ex Boyfriend/girlfriend back ,contact psychicspiritualrealm@gmail.com or WhatsApp +14242983869 for Urgent effective love Spell to get ex lover back or save you marriage fast and his result is 100% guaranteed.
I want to give thanks to Dr Gerald for bringing back my ex husband. No one could have ever made me believe that the article I’m about to write would actually one day be written. I was the world’s biggest skeptic. I never believed in magic spells or anything like this, but I was told by a reliable source (a very close co-worker) that Dr Gerald is a very dedicated, gifted, and talented person, It was one of the best things I have ever done. My love life was in shambles, I had been through two divorces and was on the brink of a third. I just couldn’t face another divorce, and I wanted to try harder to make our relationship work, but my husband didn’t seem to care. and he broke up with me again. I was confused and do not know what to do again, rather them to get in contact with Dr Gerald. He did a love spell that made my husband come back to me. We are now very much happy with ourselves. Dr Gerald makes him realize how much we love and need each other. This man is for REAL and for good, he can also help you to fix your broken relationship. I had my husband back! It was like a miracle! He suddenly wanted to go to marriage counseling, and we’re doing very, very well, in our love life. Contact
Email: psychicspiritualrealm@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +14242983869
Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/Psychicspiritualrealm
Advice to save your marriage and get your Ex Boyfriend/girlfriend back ,contact psychicspiritualrealm@gmail.com or WhatsApp +14242983869 for Urgent effective love Spell to get ex lover back or save you marriage fast and his result is 100% guaranteed.
I want to give thanks to Dr Gerald for bringing back my ex husband. No one could have ever made me believe that the article I’m about to write would actually one day be written. I was the world’s biggest skeptic. I never believed in magic spells or anything like this, but I was told by a reliable source (a very close co-worker) that Dr Gerald is a very dedicated, gifted, and talented person, It was one of the best things I have ever done. My love life was in shambles, I had been through two divorces and was on the brink of a third. I just couldn’t face another divorce, and I wanted to try harder to make our relationship work, but my husband didn’t seem to care. and he broke up with me again. I was confused and do not know what to do again, rather them to get in contact with Dr Gerald. He did a love spell that made my husband come back to me. We are now very much happy with ourselves. Dr Gerald makes him realize how much we love and need each other. This man is for REAL and for good, he can also help you to fix your broken relationship. I had my husband back! It was like a miracle! He suddenly wanted to go to marriage counseling, and we’re doing very, very well, in our love life. Contact
Email: psychicspiritualrealm@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +14242983869
Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/Psychicspiritualrealm
Advice to save your marriage and get your Ex Boyfriend/girlfriend back ,contact psychicspiritualrealm@gmail.com or WhatsApp +14242983869 for Urgent effective love Spell to get ex lover back or save you marriage fast and his result is 100% guaranteed.
I want to give thanks to Dr Gerald for bringing back my ex husband. No one could have ever made me believe that the article I’m about to write would actually one day be written. I was the world’s biggest skeptic. I never believed in magic spells or anything like this, but I was told by a reliable source (a very close co-worker) that Dr Gerald is a very dedicated, gifted, and talented person, It was one of the best things I have ever done. My love life was in shambles, I had been through two divorces and was on the brink of a third. I just couldn’t face another divorce, and I wanted to try harder to make our relationship work, but my husband didn’t seem to care. and he broke up with me again. I was confused and do not know what to do again, rather them to get in contact with Dr Gerald. He did a love spell that made my husband come back to me. We are now very much happy with ourselves. Dr Gerald makes him realize how much we love and need each other. This man is for REAL and for good, he can also help you to fix your broken relationship. I had my husband back! It was like a miracle! He suddenly wanted to go to marriage counseling, and we’re doing very, very well, in our love life. Contact
Email: psychicspiritualrealm@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +14242983869
Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/Psychicspiritualrealm
DR OYAGU herbal medicine is a good remedy for herpes simplex virus cure. My name is MIGNON WRIGHT , am from USA,I am here to give my testimony about DR OYAGU who helped me in my life, i want to inform the public how i was cured from (HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS) by DR OYAGU, i visited different hospital but they gave me list of drugs like Familiar, Zovirax, and Valtrex which is very expensive to treat the symptoms and never cured me. I was browsing through the Internet searching for remedy on HERPES and i saw comment of people talking about how DR OYAGU cured them, when i contacted him he gave me hope and send a Herbal medicine to me that i took and it seriously worked for me, am a free person now without any problem, my HERPES result came out negative, I pray to God to never let me and my family forget you in our life, am now cured permanently, you can also get your self cured my friends if you really need this doctor help, you can reach him on his website ;https://oyaguspellcaster.wixsite.com/oyaguherbalhome Email: oyaguherbalhome@gmail.com or via WhatsApp +2348101755322
I’ve been reluctant in purchasing this blank atm card I heard about online because everything seems too good to be true, but I was convinced & shocked when my friend at my place of work got the card from Professional Web Hackers & we both confirmed it really works, without delay I gave it a go. Ever since then I’ve been withdrawing $5000 daily from the card & the money has been in my own account.( professionalwizardrecovery@programmer.net) So glad I gave it a try at last and this card has really changed my life financially without getting caught, its real & truly works though its illegal but made me rich!! If you need this card from Professional Web Hackers then, Email: professionalwizardrecovery@gmail.com OR What’sApp: +44 7442 684963
You can also contact them for the service below
Western Union Transfer Bank Transfer PayPal / Skrill Transfer Crypto Mining CashApp Transfer Bitcoin Loans Recover Stolen/Missing Crypto/Funds/AssetsEmail: professionalwizardrecovery@programmer.net
Whats-App: +44 7442 684963
Website: https://t.me/professionalwizardcryptohackers