Sunday, February 12, 2006

Extreme Makeover Home Edition needs to come with Kleenex...

Oh my...I have just spent the last two hours choked up in front of my television. We usually try to catch Extreme Makeover Home Edition, and tonight was no exception. Tonight they had a two hour episode about a woman who used to be a fabulous dancer and is now suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

For those of you who don't know, my dad was diagnosed with MS almost 2 years ago. The past two years actually haven't been too bad for him. He had a day where he had four or five seizures, but once the doctors changed his medication he was fine. I have noticed that he is slower than he used to be, and that he sleeps a lot more. Thankfully, he hasn't really lost motor skills at all, but I'm pretty sure that will come in time. For now he is thankful that he can still play guitar and that he can still walk pretty well (although he sometimes needs a hand to hold).
I have known about MS for what seems like my entire life. My dad's childhood friend, Mark, has had MS for as long as I can remember. Mark is living in an assissted living center now, and can barely walk. I know that there is currently no cure for MS, and that this will probably be what takes my father's life. But, hearing all these things said on television tonght - watching this woman who used to be such a graceful dancer teeter on two canes - broke my heart. I sat and cried for two hours. I'm drained, really.

I'm not sure why I'm blogging about this. Obviously my dad needs much prayer. He doesn't know the Lord and still struggles with a past that haunts him every day. I also have to wonder if one of my siblings or even I will have MS. Every time I lose my balance or feel too tired, I wonder if I have it already.

God is so good. I know that He hears our prayers, and I thank you for listening to my emotional purge tonight.

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