My Hunny Turns 50!

     My Hunny was turning the big 5 0 !  This is a very significant year; just to look back at all that he had accomplished makes me very proud to call him my husband and father of my children!           

     To think he has celebrated more birthdays’ with me than anyone else, even his own mother. He is the type who likes it low key so we tried to think of what could we do to make it memorable. 

     Especially knowing next year, my abilities would make it quite different. The thing with MSA is that it is a fast progressing disease. One year is like a decade. That is what makes this so hard; a diagnosis of MSA not only changes your life, but your loved ones' also. It is so hard when trying not to let the MSA over shadow events and live in the moment. It is always redefining my life with limits imposed by this disease. This is the biggest hurdle for me to get over. These are harsh realities.The possibility of expensive equipment and medications may be required. Mobility scooters, changing vehicle, house, voice-recognition software, medical treatment, Helpline (panic button) and types of assistive equipment or people to improve my daily living, it all comes at a price.

     You are always mourning part of yourself, you just want to live. People with MSA want to live life no differently than anyone else. We want to be able to go shopping, go to the movies, go out to eat, and enjoy life, while fully realizing that this must be done within our boundaries.

                                                      

     Speaking of living in the moment....it was my husband's moment. So, to make it memorable, we decided to celebrate all that he had done. Before coming to Ottawa my husband was in the Air Force for 27 years and since 20 of those were with me, we had met a few people over the years. After retiring from the military, 
he took a job with Public Service. He retired from the military on Friday and started the new job Monday.  
     I decided to write to the people who we knew and people he worked with and asked them to send a Birthday Wish. We collected all these letters and put a picture with these letters. We scanned all of the letters from family and friends and special memories and put them in a slide show for my husband. His family sent me pictures and letters and my family as well. Of course, the most special letters from his children, wife and son-in-law, will always be written down. All of these people confirmed what I had already known...that I married one very special man that will be by my side always. That night, our children came over and we had a nice dinner and sat and watched the slide show. It brought back some great memories!