Progress I guess

It's strange when you think about the word progress. It can mean so many things. In our own particular case, it rests with having a health care system that open handedly dishes out equipment to make our lives easier. I did a mental inventory yesterday. Aside from providing Fortisip, which is literally Jude's life sustainer these days we have, A BIPAP machine, a suction machine, a hospital bed, a motorised wheelchair, an ordinary wheelchair, two commode chairs, one with wheels, one not, a powered patient lifter, a pressure free topper pad for the bed, a transfer seat for the bath (soon to go) & access to a supply of monthly consumables that Jude needs to make her life comfortable. We also have, funded by ourselves, a walk in wet area shower, which makes Jude's life a lot easier. We have a care giver that showers & dresses Jude twice a day & a cleaner that comes in twice a week to give the house a clean up, because as you well know, real men don't do vacuuming.

I'm extremely grateful for all this help. its a double edged sword though. By providing all this gear, it means that Jude stays home & frees up bed space in either a home or a hospital & the staff needed to care for her . That's OK though. There is no way Jude will ever be going in to a home.

Still, I can't help but think of other areas that progress would be nice in:- A miracle cure for MND. Hearing my darling say , "I love you" again. Taking her out for dinner. Sitting in the boat in the middle of the Gulf reeling snapper in. Watching her enjoy her garden again. I could go on, but whats the point. So many things we have both irredeemably lost, yet so much we have both found because of this cursed illness. We have found love & strength that I don't think either of us dreamed possible. I personally am learning a care & compassion that I never thought possible & I am learning a huge respect for the strength & determination that Jude has.

That , I guess, is certainly progress beyond price.