with gratitude…
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought I’d share with everyone how thankful I am for all the blessings I have in my life. The fact that I am still here and quickly approaching my third year since being diagnosed is something I never thought I’d see, especially with how fast my disease progressed and how it has ravaged my body. I have also had a handful of events that could’ve easily been catastrophic for me, but I am still here and still fighting as hard as I can.
Words cannot describe how grateful I am for all the love and support this community has provided to me and my family. I have always said my supporters are my army, and your prayers and never ending love have continued to fuel my fight. I am blessed to have an amazing team of doctors, nurses, healers, caregivers and family that look after me, and work my body and mind to keep me in the fight. We keep a full schedule during the week and have created a program that has helped me a lot. I wouldn’t be here without these wonderful people.
My family and friends are both a part of me that I have always taken great pride in, and this couldn't be more true than now. They make changes in their daily schedules to help ensure that I have everything that I need. My parents along with my two sisters and some very close friends all live nearby, which is such a blessing. They are always willing to help out however needed and they give Tessa a much needed mental reprieve by hanging out with me so she can rest or run an errand. My mother-in-law lives in Arizona during the winter, but she comes once a month to help keep us organized amid all this chaos in our life.
Finally, and most importantly, there's Tessa. To say she has a full plate is an understatement. She's still working full-time and she's my primary care giver. She finishes work and then goes directly to taking care of me. Tess is the General of my army and she's never ever wavered in this fight. I don't know how she manages everything as she does, all while watching me continue to decline before her eyes. I am eternally grateful for her and love her more than anything.
While I am unable to eat my favorite meal at Thanksgiving, I am still so unbelievably happy to say thank you!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Kevinp.s. please check out the wonderful Geraghty Fights ALS feature in Mpls.St.Paul Magazine
p.s.s. Aunt Shelagh here, I help Kev and Tessa with their website/posts. Be sure to wish Kevin a Happy Happy Birthday today! We are all SO happy for his 43rd trip around the sun! Love you sweetie.