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
1882 comments
Dear friends online My name is Destiny Hudson And I live in the USA, Dominica I am here today to appreciate the good work of Dr Oyagu, for helping me curing my HSV 1&2 Disease, I contacted the virus from my Partner, I found out he was cheating on me, so i broke up with him, 2 month later I went to test myself in the hospital when I was seeing sore on my mouth and Private areas, I was diagnosed of HSV 1&2. I tried using the acyclovir medicine but it didn\’t help in curing it, I went on a search and found out Dr Oyagu curing people illness, and so I got his email and I was told how I can get his herbal cure, 3 days later I received his medicine after using it for 2 weeks I was tested again and was confirm negative, today I am totally free. If you are over there looking for solution email: oyaguherbalhome@gmail.com or contact him on WhatsApp +2348101755322 today and share your own testimony. And He also has herbal cure for the Following DISEASES, eczema, urethra wart, chronic problems. Herpes, Cancer, Als, Hepatitis, Diabetes, HPV ,Infections, ulcer ETC https://oyaguspellcaster.wixsite.com/oyaguherbalhome
I wanna share my experience on how I got cured from herpes with the help of Dr excel. I’ve suffered from herpes for the past five years and I’ve been taking some antiviral medication, mostly lysine but they were not working out for me until I saw a post about Dr Excel natural herbal remedy on the internet then I contacted him and he prepared and sent me the herbal medicine using DHL which I drink just as he ask me to and my problems was solved because I was totally cured and tested negative severally. he is a real traditional herbal doctor and he has cured a lot of people from herpes virus. Visit & Contact him on his website: https://excelherbalcure.com
I want everyone to know that finally there’s a cure for herpes virus because I have tested negative twice since I finished drinking a herbal medicine that I ordered from a herbalist called Dr excel through his website: ( Excelherbalcure.com ) I had the virus for many years and I have always believed there was no cure for the virus because that’s what they all say until I tried a herbal medicine and now I’m totally cured, so I would advise anyone with herpes virus to quickly visit his website and order for the herbal cure as well’ I contacted the herbalist through his website then we talked and I provided my address as he requested then I received the medication in a week. He is a real traditional herbal medicine doctor so get to know about him on his website..
I thought I was never going to get cured from Herpes because I was told that there is no cure for the virus but Just last month I saw on the internet how some people talks about being cured from the same virus after they finish drinking a herbal medicine! I was so interested that I contacted the herbal man on his website and request for the herbal meds as well, he responded and answered my questions with prove, then he went ahead and send me the medication through DHL which I drink for almost two weeks as he prescribe and now I just test negative to the virus and all the sores were gone immediately I started drinking the herbal meds. Try to know about this herbal man on his website/WhatsApp and get cured from that parasite called herpes. +1 509 883 9893 https://excelherbalcure.com
I got diagnosed of Herpes Genital Warts some years ago but after drinking Dr Excel herbal Medicine for a couple of weeks I couldn’t trace the virus anymore because all the sores and blisters were healed and all the symptoms disappears totally so I went to several lab for test and they all came out Negative, so Get yourself cured from that nasty virus with herbal medicine from dr excel on his website: https://excelherbalcure.com his mobile WhatsApp number +1 (509) 883-9893.