Happenings in our lives

There is one dear friend whose care and love for Roger and me I value very much. So, when he sent a message asking for a more personal update I thought I'd better get to and deliver!!

We celebrated our 35th Wedding Anniversary last night. We started the morning by exchanging cards and having a good cry, which was interrupted by Pepper jumping up on us and wondering what all the noise was about!! It was a good distraction for us and we did have a laugh! My lovely sister Irene drove us to the Darlington Winery Estate in the hills for a lovely lunch, (which was rather late). We did enjoy ourselves and have no photos to show!!

We are getting on okay. We try to laugh more than we cry, but we do both quite well! Roger is being overtaken by Motor Neurone Disease and it is so dreadful to see a very special and very loved husband deteriorating in this way. He is being very brave and is fighting to keep walking and being as independent as he can be. I help with the odd button or two, cutting up the food, etc, but he is doing so very well to keep going. Yesterday we had a visit to the Neurologist and it was okay. A few things were discussed that were upsetting to us both. I must be honest and say I can't read anything about MND or what the near future is going to hold for me as a carer. I have asked Irene to read up and tell me only what I absolutely have to know.

I have been put in touch with a lady whose husband died of MND not long ago. I hope to catch up soon and share friendship and information with her. We just haven't quite been able to connect with our busy programmes.

We have seen all our kids in the last couple of months and this has been special for us. They do find it hard with us being in Perth and them being in Melbourne. We do try and keep in contact via phone calls, but we must try and do something about Skype soon. It would be so much better. Our internet connection is not very good here in Perth. Our daughter Glenda is now 27 weeks pregnant with twins. They are due on 12 August, but we are expecting them to come early. We were thinking of visiting Melbourne in June, but Roger is not keen to do this and would rather wait until the twins arrive. I am not sure if I might go for a few days in June. It will depend on work and how Roger is.

Speaking of work. I work 24 hours/week at Star Settlements and ijrproperty. I am the Office Manager and I do all sorts of things. I do have to laugh sometimes when I am at work and learning all these new things. When we were living in Germany I was thinking I would never work for money again! Just shows you should never say never!! I do enjoy my work but sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed about all the things I need to do. I have been so very spoilt by a husband who is always willing to lend a hand and was willing to cook, clean, etc that it is hard to take not having him do it anymore! Poor me. Not really, being in a small home is very convenient and not much cleaning to do really. Roger comes to work when he feels like it. He might do between 10 - 12 hours week, but he is a volunteer. He is in charge of scanning files into the computer so that we can get rid of all the paper files!! He is very good and thorough at this. Just last week a special chair was delivered to work so that he can rest when he gets tired. This means he doesn't have to come home and be by himself (though now we have Pepper this isn't so bad).

We have a wheelchair at home so that if we want to go for a long walk, I can take Roger in the wheelchair. It is very easy to use, but not so good to load in and out of the car. Roger has also been fitted with a neck collar which he can use whenever he likes. This will help with his weakened neck muscles. The neck brace comes from Canada. It doesn't look too bad actually.

So, how's that for an update? I'm not going to read it back, otherwise I might delete half of it. I hope it makes sense.

Roger's 58th Birthday is on Thursday. I'm trying to think what we did last year. I know we had a special celebration after one of our Monday hikes around Schopfheim. Ah, those were the days!!!!!!!!!