Poor Ted

Our friend Ted is slowly dying of ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He has struggled so hard to maintain his independence, but his efforts have recently had disastrous consequences, as described in a recent e-mail from his daughter. One day last week during the brief time between the departure of his full-time daily caretaker and the arrival home of his wife Suzanne, he decided to go outside for a walk. This is a man who can barely walk down his hallway with a walker! When he tried to re-enter the house, he was too weak to open the door latch and slipped and fell hurting his head. Then one evening he tried to take himself out of bed to the bathroom in the middle of the night. He fell and cracked a bone in his shoulder, as well as gashing his head.

Ted knows the end is near. I’m wondering if he is trying to hasten its arrival. I feel so badly that he not only has to suffer from the debilitating effects of his disease, but now also has to suffer from these recent falls. I’m sure he is simply ready to be put out of his misery.

Giving up one’s independence is so tough to do. It’s like an admission of death. Poor Ted.