Hello ,
It's great fun writing about brave people from way back in history. But sometimes the best inspiration comes from the courageous people close to us.
My sister-in-law Jeanne does not think of herself as particularly brave or inspirational.
Those qualities seem to be in the eye of the beholder.
Choosing to Live
Your Limitations with Joy
|
Jeanne lives with the chronic illness Multiple Sclerosis, which has gradually diminished her physical abilities. From the neck down, her body pretty much ignores all
commands.
"It's not sad or disabling," she says. "It's just me. People might think, 'Oh, that’s terrible she can’t do this or that' but I think it just depends on your perspective."
As long as I've known Jeanne, she's always been up for the next activity, jumping at the chance to do something new, or finding any excuse to have a party. She's positive and enthusiastic, one of those
people who's never met a stranger.
Her out-going personality is a plus when she notices people are uncomfortable about her wheelchair. "I try to make them feel at ease by smiling and talking. When kids stare at my wheels, I say, 'Yes! It's really fun.' and tell them I love my sippy cup." You can see the hands-free water bottle in this photo, as well as the earphones Jeanne uses to make calls or answer the phone. "I bite the button because I can't press it with my thumb. If you get it it on the flat surface of your
tooth it works great," she says.
It's no fun to have MS, and annoying when you can't scratch your nose when it itches, but Jeanne is intentional about enjoying everything she can do. "You can decide to go on about your life, choose to do things, rather than just sit home. You can make jokes about it, and have family and friends who you trust who you can talk to. You have to choose, do you want to be miserable or do you want to be happy."
Jeanne enjoys listening to music and podcasts. She can’t read because she's lost her eyesight, but feels it's important to keep learning. She and her husband love to travel.
“We
drive in the car, because the airline is difficult, although we just went to Hawaii. We drive all over the United States, you really enjoy the country driving it on the back roads, and stopping different places, eating the foods in different areas. ‘Course we drink beer.” Above, Jeanne and Bob enjoy the Abyss release party at the Deschutes Public House in Portland, Oregon. In the next month or two they will travel from their home in Western Washington to Florida to visit a friend, Alabama for a wedding, and Colorado for their daughter's
graduation from nursing school.
Bob is Jeanne's primary care-giver, chauffeur, housekeeper, cook, gardener, etc. He does all those little things for her that you and I use our hands to do for ourselves on a daily basis.
Jeanne says there are some advantages to not being physically able. "Some
people might worry about their hair or something, I can’t even see my hair. There's less to worry about. It sounds funny, but MS is a blessing in disguise because you have to be positive, otherwise, you’d be a miserable person, and then you might as well just go check yourself into the mortuary.
"It's not Pollyanna, and it's not denial, it’s acceptance." What is MS? Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.
The cause of MS is still unknown
– scientists believe the disease is triggered by as-yet-unidentified environmental factor(s) in a person who is genetically predisposed to respond. There is no cure. Jeanne, her brother Ron and her mother Angela, circa 1980. Going on a HOP together for a mini-vacation. The entire family, including Jeanne's father served in the military, as did Jeanne's husband and her son William.
For a scientific explanation of MS, take a look at the 2-minute video. And if you know someone who lives their limitations with joy, please click here and share. Help inspire us all.
This week the Virginia Library Association named Pure Grit a Jefferson Cup honor book for older readers. The award highlights distinguished biography, historical fiction or American history books for young people.
The Jefferson Cup Committee’s goal is to promote reading about America’s past; to encourage the quality writing of United States history, and to recognize authors in these disciplines. Click here to see all the winning
books. |
Thank you for reading! I know you time is valuable and I appreciate you spending a few minutes with me today. I am always happy to hear your thoughts If you know someone who might enjoy this newsletter, please forward this e-mail. Currently, new subscribers will be entered in a
drawing to win a $25 gift certificate to their favorite independent books store. I will never spam you or sell your email address, you can unsubscribe below anytime with a single mouse click. If you'd like to get your hands on a copy of PURE GRIT, here's the place! If you'd like a signed copy and I'm not coming to
your neighborhood soon, let me know. I can send you a personally autographed book or a signed bookplate. To find out more about my books, how I help students, teacher and librarians, visit my website at www.MaryCronkFarrell.com. My best, Mary Questions? Comments? Contact me at
MaryCronkFarrell@gmail.com. Click here to subscribe to this newsletter.
|
|
