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
1403 comments
I was casually browsing on my phone when a strange link popped up. Without thinking much, I clicked it, and within moments, all my Ethereum (ETH) tokens, worth around $221,000, vanished. It happened so fast that I thought my phone had been hacked. I quickly checked my laptop, but the damage was already done. My wallet was empty. I felt numb, shocked, and completely lost.
Desperate, I reached out to a friend who’s been in the crypto space for years. He immediately suggested I contact Morphohack, a recovery team he trusted. I sent them all the details I had, hoping for a miracle.
Morphohack quickly discovered that I had been targeted with a phishing link that drained my entire portfolio. But the real surprise? They said they could recover it. True to their word, within 48 hours, they retrieved everything I lost. I couldn’t believe it, what felt like a hopeless situation turned around, thanks to Morphohack.You can reach them via email(Morphohack@cyberservices . com)
I was casually browsing on my phone when a strange link popped up. Without thinking much, I clicked it, and within moments, all my Ethereum (ETH) tokens, worth around $221,000, vanished. It happened so fast that I thought my phone had been hacked. I quickly checked my laptop, but the damage was already done. My wallet was empty. I felt numb, shocked, and completely lost.
Desperate, I reached out to a friend who’s been in the crypto space for years. He immediately suggested I contact Morphohack, a recovery team he trusted. I sent them all the details I had, hoping for a miracle.
Morphohack quickly discovered that I had been targeted with a phishing link that drained my entire portfolio. But the real surprise? They said they could recover it. True to their word, within 48 hours, they retrieved everything I lost. I couldn’t believe it, what felt like a hopeless situation turned around, thanks to Morphohack.You can reach them via email(Morphohack@cyberservices . com)
I’m very happy today to share this amazing testimony as Dr Ikpoko on YouTube the herbal doctor was able to cure me from my Herpes Virus with his herbal medicine. i am Johnson from Atlanta.Georgia ,I was been a diagnosed of Hsv2 for a period of 2 years and have tried different methods of treatment to ensure that I was cured of this terrible disease, but none worked for me, i so much believed there’s a cure out there somewhere and we’ve been blinded to the facts that medical doctors hides that from us, i was really desperate as I was losing almost everything due to my illness, A few months ago while I was checking the internet I saw different recommendation about Dr Ikpoko on YouTube on how he have been using his herbal Medicine to treat and cure people, I contacted him and I told him how I got his contact and also about my herpes virus, after some time he told me not to worry that he would prepare for me his herbal medicine, he told me I would take this medicine for a week and also it works after using it for 3 weeks, you can reach out to Dr. Ikpoko on YouTube via
Whatsapp: +2348108298045 Email: drikpoko@gmail.com https://drikpoko.wixsite.com/herbs
When I lost my BTC wallet access after a failed software update, I was crushed. That Bitcoin was meant for my daughter’s college fund. The thought of losing it gave me sleepless nights. A friend in the crypto community told me to contact Speed Expert. I sent a desperate email to Speedexpertcrytocurrencyrecover@mail.com, hoping for a miracle. They replied quickly, asked detailed questions, and explained every step clearly. No tech jargon or false hope. Within a few days, they successfully recovered my wallet. I can’t overstate what this means to me and my family. Their service is worth every second. If you’re considering them don’t hesitate. contact them via Speedexpertcrytocurrencyrecover@mail.com, Whatsapp +12083405828 They gave me back peace of mind
Legitimate Crypto Recovery Companies/Trusted Crypto Recovery Experts/Crypto Scam Tracker/Wizard Larry Recovery
I’m thrilled to talk about Wizard Larry Recovery, a cyber security firm, helped me get my cryptocurrencies and digital money back that had been stolen. I am genuinely in awe of their skilled work and outstanding service. I didn’t think I would be able to get my money back until I told them about my issues and gave them all the information they needed. I was astounded that they were able to get my money in 48 hours. For all of your hacking, cryptocurrency recovery, digital funds recovery, and cyber-security-related needs, I wholeheartedly endorse Wizardlarry@mail.com.
WhatsApp+1(616) 292–4789 OR +447 (311) 146 749
WEB.. larrywizard43.wixsite.com/wizardlarry
WEB.. larrywizard43.wixsite.com/wizardlarry