No.48. Progression doesn`t equal progress.

Chris`s speech had not improved by yesterday morning, so I guess we can`t blame the tiredness, though he said it was because he got out of breath rushing to get in for breakfast ( yes, he is still up at 5.30am! ). He did also mention that while moving cattle from one field to another ( I'm hoping he was on a tractor) he tried calling them, usually they will follow when called, but his voice was so weak that they couldn't hear him and they are still in the original field as I write. Maybe a mega phone is in order. The things this disease does.

 I also noticed too that if he isn`t supporting himself against a wall or a chair to stay upright, he stands in a `skiing` pose to keep his balance. We did giggle about that, still trying to make light of things, but I guess it is just the MND progressing. He seems to walk a little better if he can get the momentum going, it`s a bit like riding a bike. When the bike is in motion you can balance it, but as soon as it stops, without some kind of stability, it falls over. It never pays to get too complacent with this disease. It slowly chips away at your motor neurones, they are forever under attack. You can chip away at a lump of rock for a while before it actually splits and is damaged. I think it is the same with MND. Chip, chip , chip, twitch, twitch , twitch, it`s relentless.

Chris also had a phone call from the hospital to say that his appointment to see the gastrologist has been brought forward from September to this Wednesday, so much for a week with out appointments, but I guess they must have had a cancellation or something. Best get that particular MND journey under way ASAP I suppose. It`s such a big step, but all the medical professionals say it is the right one, so I think it is one that Chris is reluctantly going to have to take, the first step to having a stomach peg fitted. I bloody hate you MND !!