Happy Kick in The Guts Day !!!!!!

I'm not sure if its stress, worry, or just the fact that we seem to have a lot of appointments these days, but somehow I seem to manage to get appointments confused a lot easier these days than I used to. Like today. I thought we had an appointment to see The White Rabbit for our customary 3 monthly appointment where we fill him in on what's been happening in the time since our last visit. I had fully resigned myself to exiting the hospital with Grace Slick echoing through my head, but no. We go to see The White Rabbit tomorrow. This morning, as we found out when we got there, we had our first consultation with a new guy. The health system has, in it's wisdom, decided to set up a consulting Neurologist that visits Thames Hospital once a month. A very nice young man that started at Waikato about the same time that Pat Simpson did, so naturally, the two of them get on really well & have a lot of respect for each other. It's the first time that Jude has been seen by a neurologist since she was diagnosed.

We actually like him because he doesn't beat about the bushes when he is laying things out to you. I like that, but sometimes it renders things a little hard to accept when they are stated so baldly. We were both under the impression that Jude's MND was going to be pretty much confined to her upper torso. We have found out today that this isn't so. It has already affected her legs to a large extent. We found this out when we asked him about the possibility of a knee replacement for her. He doesn't seem to think its a particularly good idea because of that. Also there is the prospect of 8 to 12 weeks of quite intense pain, very intensive physiotherapy & the possibility that she may well die under the anaesthetic anyway. I have tonight talked to someone whose stepmum has had both knees replaced & it hasn't even made her pain free at the end of it. All this & Jude is still looking at being in a wheel chair in 2 years time anyway. The analogy that he used was that it would be like putting a Rolls Royce engine in a rusty old Datsun body. not sure I agree with his choice of vehicle though. Jude is more like a Land Rover I think. It doesn't matter what life throws at her she hunkers down, digs her heels in & boxes on, where others would quit.

I haven't asked her yet what she intends to do. Her main concern is that she would like to get back to her gardening that she loves so much. I'm going to ask the physiotherapist if there is anything she can suggest to help. What ever she decides on, I will back & support her to the best of my ability. I know what my thoughts are on the subject, but its not up to me to say. I hope I know what she will decide. In any event, the Neuro is going to expedite Jude seeing a surgeon for her knee, so at least we will know what our options are. My next big challenge is to get through tomorrows appointment with the White Rabbit without giggling.