April 24, 2016. Madison, Mississippi. Our Health.

Our custom is to talk about what we are able to do and pay no attention to what does not work.  We certainly never talk about what is the matter with us, but I receive notes and e mails complimenting us on  our good health.  I just laugh and think that they should see us in action.  We are not complaining about our present abilities but neither of us have far from normal health.

For Ken,  Parkinson's Disease has left him with poor balance.  He uses the walker 100% of the time, both inside and outside the house.   The medicine for Parkinson's allows him to function.   His left shoulder is not working and as he is left handed, this is a problem.  He can not raise his left shoulder at all.   He also has a terrible cough.   Fatigue is an issue so he has many rests a day.   His head work as well as ever except if he is tired but he gets all his work done each day doing the accounts and puttering around the house.  He prefers to stay home.

I thought that when my chemotherapy ended I would feel much better but it turns out that Letrozole has side effects too which include fatigue and aching bones.  My neuropothy is extensive and does not seem to be going away.  I have it all over my body so I have to be careful with hot dishes with my hands.  I lurch along when I walk but after I get walking at a decent speed,  I can look almost normal.   My legs ache all the time but for some reason,  neuropothy pain is worse at night.   Basically, walking for me is similar to walking on a stump.   My eyes, for some reason that no one seems to knows why, do not accommodate for changes in light, so when I go into a restaurant from outside, I go basically blind and quickly hold the arm of whomever I am with.  If we are alone I ask a waitress to lend me their arm.  I am much better than I was a year ago.  I do all the shopping and handle domestic tasks.  And social events cause me no stress.   I have a good amount of energy.

Both Ken and I are walking and talking which is our standard for success.   We are both  pleased to be able to enjoy our lives and we never complain.   Once a year, I will make a report on our health, not as a complaint but as information about our present status.    And here we go.