Living with MSA eventually requires you to come to terms with the fact that life now involves an ongoing series of concessions. While these concessions may be hard to accept at first, eventually reality prevails and you realize they must be made for safety reasons. Probably the biggest concession I made came almost two years ago with the realization I needed a cane to steady myself and prevent falls. Next, I grudgingly conceded I got less fatigued if a wheelchair was occasionally used in airports, museums or other places where a lot of walking was involved. The latest concession came this past month when my primary care physician saw how my balance and gait had deteriorated and wrote a prescription for a rollator (which is four-wheeled walker with hand brakes and a fold down seat). Funny, but once I accepted the cane, the other concessions have all been easier – I fear falling and breaking a bone much more than I care how I appear to others.
As mentioned, I saw my primary care physician last month and while he didn’t change anything except adding the rollator, he did increase the frequency of my visits from six months to every three. My guess is he senses my condition may be changing and he needs to monitor it more frequently. I can’t argue with that logic.
Aside from the increasingly difficult balance/gait the only other concern right now is my voice clarity and articulation. Both seem to be somewhat worse.
Finally, my posting next month will come from our new condo on which we close in about a week. I’m really looking forward to the move which includes use of a nicely equipped fitness facility and heated pool. Now I’ll have no excuse not to get into better shape and try to stall the physical effects of this ridiculous disease. Who knows, maybe there are still a few stem cells lurking around that need a mission.
See you in a month – if the move doesn’t do me in first.
