I had the opportunity this weekend to surprise a very good friend on her 40th birthday. Myself and another good friend made the trip via ferry to surprise her mid morning at her front door! It was a success - and a great surprise for her - she had absolutely no idea we were coming. Credit has to go to her husband who called and asked if we might make it out for her birthday. It truly was a moment!!
I need to share a few things about my friend. She is high spirited, speaks her mind, caring, considerate, smart and articulate, and a fabulous mother to her three girls and wife to an adoring husband. She's one of those people that has an opinion but can choose when to express it or say it like it is. She is one of those friends that tells it like it is....doesn't bullshit - and gets to the point. Her and I have a special connection as we became friends thru my business when she was first a customer living in our town. We also graded for our Black Belts in Shotokan Karate together as well as worked together teaching an adrenal stress training program. For a short time she was employed with me too. Our friendship is one of those, we may not see each other often as she has moved away and there is a ferry between us. We may not talk on the phone every day, month or six months, but when we see or talk to each other - we pick up where we left off....no accusations or recriminations on who didn't call whom. This is what true friends are all about.
I give you this explanation as yesterday I saw a different person. Physically to look at my friend ~ the *regular* acquaintance or person on the street might say, *Wow, you've lost weight*; *You look great, I wish I could do that*, *You must feel so good*, or *Wow, you have three kids*?
Yes my friends' physical appearance could be deceiving for those who do not *know* her. But for those that know my friend may have noticed some subtle or noticeable changes....
Remember I said she just turned 40!! She's slower in her movements and speech. She still articulates well, but struggles to find the right words. If its a struggle to focus, that seems to exhaust her. As her friend, I can see how she tries to hide her frustration. What made me sad was what looked like the sign of defeat in her eyes. My friend has MS. Years ago there were symptoms but it was diagnosed as Lupus, another autoimmune disease. Could it have been MS? There were signs, unbeknownst to any of us, while she was training in the martial arts, or some of the trips that we went on where her body could not handle the heat, where she had problems with her eyes. Whether she was trying to be a martyr or just trying to take the focus off of her because there were too many other things more important - who knows. She has always been pro-active in what she has done and anything that pertained to her children or family. To almost see a resignation in her personality was a harsh reality - possibly a depression that she is trying to ignore? I am not a doctor - I can only assume, and/or guess what these might be. But knowing my friend - I did see a difference.
I am so glad that I went and had a visit with her. Selfishly I still go back to my anaology - if we have our health we have everything!! And Thank God for where I am in my life, I don't have a disease that may take my independence away, make my spirit and drive diminish, and have to deal with the fatigue every day that it is painful to just get dressed in the morning or do my hair. I worry about my friend ~ at the moment I understand her condition is like peaks and valleys. There are high days when she can be in remission, and low days when, as she calls it, an episode will flair up and she doesn't know when that will go away.
Looking after ourselves, being pro-active in how we eat and the exercise that we adhere too can only be a proactive choice that we make in our lives. It all can lie in cards with what we were dealt at birth - why some of us develop a disease there is no cure for or contract an illness that is either untreatable or can be treated. Choosing to live a healthy lifestyle can only add to the positive side of our quality of life. Living life to the fullest is all that anyone of us can ask for - the question is, *Do we choose to do this*? *Are we thankful for our health*? Heaven only knows...if we have our health....we have it all...
No comments:
Post a Comment