2. Beating Expectations

27 months. This is the average life expectancy of someone with Motor Neurone Disease. Its been 41 months since my diagnosis. So I guess I should be grateful that I have beaten average expectations by 14 months so far!

It is not an achievement I am jumping up and down about... because I can't; or punch my fists in the air... because I can't; or scream from the rooftops... because, you guessed it, I am unable to. And I can not even bury my head in my hands to hide from the world, and from this situation I find myself in.

Particular days feels like death by a thousand cuts, and I look forward to bed at night hoping to dream of better days. For whatever reason life obviously wants me to maximise the richness of this experience during my waking hours!

I have come to the realisation that feeling sorry for myself, or feeling I am a burden on my family, doesn't help my or anyone else's cause for that matter. And I am thankful for Anna kicking me up the backside when I have felt sorry for myself. So I now try to focus on what is within my control, to get out of the way and allow life to naturally unfold. What will be, will be!

... 99% of people with Motor Neurone Disease do not survive beyond 5 years. Based on this stat, I may not be here in 19 months. But that's ok, I no longer look too far ahead. I have learnt to live just one day at a time... and let 'beating expectations' take care of itself!