this is the Heartwarmer today ....

[Guest guest]

I thought we could picture this ... while she has MS ... we all deal with a version of this scene ;-]

HEAVE HO! Well, I'm not a lot of the things I used to be, but I'm sure a lot ofthings I didn't used to be. Some of those things are good, some bad, somejust are what they are -- different. Yeah, I used to be skinny and now I'm fat. I used to be young and now I'm old. I used to be a brunette and now I'm blond (to cover the gray.) I used to be full of energy and now I'm lacking in that respect. I used to walk and now I use a three wheel motorized scooter. Like they say nothing ever stays the same. MS has become apart of who I am. Not who I am, mind you, just a part.Having lived with the culprit for over half of my life, I'm getting usedto the adversities. I have also learned that laughter can go a long way indealing with hardships and difficulties. It seems as if my life isbecoming quite a comic routine! The other day my daughter came by to get me because driving is one ofthe things I don't do anymore. Since she had no lift in her SUV, wedecided I would take my wheelchair instead of my motorized scooter. That wasn't the problem. The problem was her vehicle. My daughter has an Eddie Bauer, Ford Expedition, whatever that is.And when you're an old lady, it looks like a green tank. She pushed me andmy wheelchair right up next to that monster, and I knew then it was goingto be one gigantic challenge. "Now Ronda, this is not going to be easy," I commented. "We can do it," she said. "Oh sure," I think to myself. What is this "we" stuff? "Just put your foot up here, and get a hold of that." "Oh yeah, sure!" "Come on, I'll help you," she assures me. She takes my foot and places it on the running board. "Now get a hold of that strap up there and pull." I began to snicker and my foot slips off. She also lets out a gigglebehind me and we start all over again. We get my foot up on that running board again and I grab hold and Iholler, "Shove!" She gives me a nudge and I holler again, "I said SHOVE!" She started laughing and down I came! By this time we are bothlaughing and attracting quite a scene. "Now Ronda you have to put your shoulder to me and SHOVE hard, likeyour dad does," I say between my laughter and her giggles. "Don't beafraid to push hard." Now I have plenty of padding, so it's not like she was going to hurtherself on my bones or anything. A big part of my body is numb anyway soit wasn't like I could feel her bouncing off my blubber either. So webegan again. "I don't want to hurt you mom," she giggles. "Don't worry, you're not going to hurt me. Dad does it all the time,"I assured her. My comments don't bring any sympathy, just more giggles.As we start again she gets serious and so do I, as I become aware that I ammaking quite an impression on our new, and young, neighbors across thestreet. "NOW SHOVE," I scream! "HEAVE HO," she shouts! We both break out in hysterical laughter as the steering wheel getsacquainted with my face, leaving my feet and legs sticking out the door.We both are hysterical and the neighbors are getting free entertainment.By this time, my face is in pain. Not from the steering wheel, but fromthe muscles being strained from so much laughter. Ronda helps me and I finally get pushed, pulled and tucked into myseat. We drive away leaving my neighbors wondering about the circus actthat has moved in across the street. Yeah, things have changed. I've changed. Nothing ever stays thesame, not even circus acts. I hope my neighbors are prepared, because I'vebecome a three ringer! --

cheerssheila Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear .... all of which have the potential to turn a life around. --- Leo Buscaglia