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Care
Partner of the Month
March / April
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Page 3
Mark Ryan
Yonkers, NY
Meanwhile I had my own physical
setbacks. I had the muscular dystrophy and then my back went out.
I had a doctor put me in bed for 2 weeks and when I tried to get up
and walk, I couldn't. Then I went to the nursing home and when I came
back home I still wasn't walking. But I got myself up and said, "Dammit,
I'm gonna walk." And finally I pulled myself up by my furniture
and stood every day for 2 weeks, then I started taking tiny steps
with the walker like a baby and then finally I started walking and
doing everything I used to do, except I still have a problem getting
up at this point. But everybody says it's amazing because I'm doing
a lot of things that a muscular dystrophy patient isn't supposed to
do. But it was my own faith and the faith of my therapist that believed
I could do it. That's what really made me come back. I don't consider
myself to be a very religious person, but I believe in God and I know
He's there. During Frank's death and even now, I pray every night
that everybody I know will stay well and that everything goes alright
for me. I know there's some powerful Being there.
I feel excited about the future and a little bit scared, but I think
it's that way whenever you try anything new. Things are getting into
order the way they should be and I think Frank is watching me and
is proud of the way everything is pulling together. It's a journey
you go through. A lot of times when doctors tell you "NO",
you can't give up - you've got to fight for it, because if you don't
they will label you. They mean well, but they go by the textbook and
decide what you should and shouldn't be doing. But I've turned a "CAN'T"
into a "CAN" situation. I have a disease that they say you
can't get better from and here I am getting better. So I know that
somebody upstairs is watching over me. Muscular dystrophy is supposed
to be a progressive disease from which you get sicker and sicker,
but I'm not - I'm getting better and better."
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