I worked on a blog post today that I'm not ready to post, so I'll be winging it now.
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I heard today that the Ron Adelhardt place along Trail West Road in Partridge will be sold at auction later this spring. It's an older one-story house with four bedrooms. It sets on 1 1/2 acres of land. Ron was a longtime teacher, bus driver, and coach at Partridge Grade School. He died in September 2021 at the age of 87. I think that for a long time he was the tallest man I knew.
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Shane and Cliff Nisly sang in a concert in McPherson today. I liked how the conductor introduced the music, placing it in a historical context. The group was organized by Joel Garber, who had a desire to bring people together who wanted to take their singing "to the next level." Having lived in Hesston earlier, he knew something about the strong music traditions in the area--among the Mennonites, I believe. When he named the towns where members of the group lived, sure enough, he said Partridge! Often this little town is lumped in with its bigger neighbor, Hutchinson. We listened to a livestream of the concert. Here's the link. The group name is the Central Kansas Master Chorale. The first part of the recording features organ music, played on a newly restored organ first installed in the 1920s.
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A Facebook writer/speaker friend of mine (and many, many others) posted recently about a devastating medical diagnosis that she was given a number of months ago. My first thought was that I had never heard of this disease. Then I recalled a conversation I had recently with the daughter-in-law of a dear local friend who told me about my friend's diagnosis. I forgot the name of the condition, but I believe now that it was the same disease. I am really sorry about what both of these dear women are facing. S. G. is younger than I and J. S. is slightly older. The Disease is called Frontotemporal Degeneration. I'll let my Facebook friend describe her experience.
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What you’re about to read is one of the most difficult posts I’ve ever written. I actually penned it weeks ago and filed it away for when I felt ready to share.
Many of you have been a rock of support for me online the last 15+ years. Some reader friends are newer to my work. I’m eternally grateful for you all.
I posted recently about being diagnosed with constructional apraxia in August. What most of you don’t know is that a more serious diagnosis came soon after.
It took me five months to process the devastating realization that what I feared was happening since last spring is true:
In September—after testing that included a NeuroQuant® 3D image Brain MRI—I was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative brain disease.
The news show 60 Minutes calls it “The Cruelest Disease You’ve Never Heard Of.”
After learning this news, I needed time to digest and go through the all-too-familiar grief process before I was ready to invite others into this part of my life. And I had a few fears. Mostly I was afraid of being “dismissed,” not only in general, but as a writer and speaker. I also feared losing my business.
Frontotemporal Degeneration has no cure. Medically speaking there are no treatments; nothing to slow its progression of brain atrophy.
Dying isn’t what bothers me most, for as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ I have heaven to look forward to.
It’s the slowly “going away” in your head first that hurts my heart.
I still have much to give and a family I cherish, including three little grandchildren who mean everything to me. Not seeing them grow up is the worst thing I can fathom—the heartbreaking pain I will live with until I am no longer aware.
I’ve been making adjustments to the changes—deficits, really—that come. I am working feverishly to finish what will likely be my last book: an inspirational narrative I began writing in 2015, mere days after my memoir The Plain Choice released.
On a positive note, my initial fears have no grip on my life.
While I feel a profound sadness for what I am about to lose (my wits), I’m no longer afraid of losing my dignity. I realize now that no illness can take that from me.
It didn’t take long to discover that if my arms were to hold all the people I love—and who love me—that I won’t feel it when others drop away.
I don’t want pity. But I’m desperate for your prayers. Prayers for a miracle. For strength. And most of all for continued faith, that no matter how hard this is, I won’t waver in my faith and adoration for the One who has already saved me.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” — John 3:16
“The greatest gifts we can give to each other, is to pray for one another.” — D. L. Moody
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