Roll Over Beethoven

I had a dog and cat for ten years in early MS. They slept with me on the bed and I trained kitty to sleep at my waist on one side, the dog at my feet on the other side. So I was neatly pinned in position on my back because none of us moved very far all night. Little did I know what a gift that would become, how handy it would come into play when MS restricted me to basically one sleeping position. Rolling on my side became a big fanfare where I had to inch myself over in two degree increments., which would be enough to wake myself up full on. Not worth losing sleep over. But the pets taught me one position is more than sufficient, and I continue to have restful sleeps on my back, waking up in the same position I fell asleep in. Therefore I have no need for guard rails or fear of rolling out of bed common to my demographic.

So thank you Beethoven for rolling over to make room for MS.

Getting my pants down and up in time in another one wing wonder with a 95 % success rate. The 5% failure rate is not something to panic over or beat myself up on. Yes, usually it’s because I waited too long to begin with but instead of chastising myself I am thankful that I’m already sitting down to get my wet underwear off easily. 

Boxing tape can be a one-handed nemesis. Or perhaps it’s the cheap tape gun. But either way it sticks to everything, including itself, before I can get it in place always using ten miles more than what I actually need. 

Holding a book at the start or end of a day is interesting. Pinch and grab functions no longer work on command but rather a tightly clenched fist that needs a right-handed assist to unfurl. Turning a page without it snapping shut or finding a page requires book marks. Life keeps getting more interesting with constant adapting to new parameters.

But with Joy as our strength (Neh 8:10) and knowing we’re not home yet, I can comfortably tell Beethoven to roll over to make room for what really matters.

So thank you Beethoven for rolling over to make room for MS.