ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

I was going to do it anyway. I was going to have Chris pour a bucket of ice-cold water onto my head. Then I was going to go to the ALS website and donate. But Chris had a better idea. He started trying to find someone to challenge me. Who would it be? I told my caregiver, who was kind enough to call her father. We’ve never actually met, but I owe him my gratitude(?) 

I don’t have ALS or know anyone who has or had the disease, but my symptoms are similar to some. I even use the same software as a certain famous scientist, although I am sure in very different ways. For those who didn’t get it yet, his last name rhymes with gawking. For those who still don’t get it, I am afraid I can’t help you. Ever. Back to ALS, it is a degenerative disease and my stroke was not. We owe these people a cure.

In the end, Chris and I were both challenged by friend(?) and fellow stroke survivor Amy. We found out by asking if she had a bucket. She did have a bucket, and a challenge. She asked why we wanted the vessel, and told us she did the challenge and that her silly husband was editing their video which took about four days. Note to Jonny: Most normal people just post theirs. Also, a note to speech therapists: I am OK. Good work, Tawna. Now everyone else knows what to do.

Family Vacation

A lot of people don’t like their mothers-in-law. I know I am stating the obvious, but I, however, happen to like mine. I also really like my stepmother. Go figure. It was a major milestone birthday for my mother-in-law, who shall be henceforth referred to as MIL. We met Chris’ very kind aunt and uncle at a condo on Lake of the Ozarks. It was supposed to be a surprise trip, but it wasn’t. I’m not saying who told, except it wasn’t me. I can’t talk, so I didn’t spill the beans. The condo was very nice. I especially enjoyed looking at the lake through the sliding glass doors. It was a lot like our trip to Branson, only I could walk back then. I assure you it is different. I also assure you that you can laugh if you want. We went on a boat and I was glad there were rails. I started this very blog on the screened-in deck at the condo.Screens are extremely important for people unable to swat the bugs away. Who knew?

I also went to see Justin Timberlake earlier in the week. It was a great concert, for those who are wondering.

Long story short, whereas we might have gone to Puerto Rico before I got sick, we now stay a lot closer to home. According to MIL, it wasn’t about the destination, but the company. Happy early birthday, MIL.