After a lengthy hiatus, I am back to blogging. In addition to Alzheimer's disease and dementia, our family is now confronting the challenges of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My oldest daughter, Sarah, a young wife and mother of two toddlers, experienced the sudden appearance of leg numbness last Thursday. Thinking she had pinched a nerve, and not wanting to alarm her father and I as we were leaving Saturday to take my mother on a road trip to see relatives before she is too ill to go, she minimized her symptoms.

By Saturday, her symptoms were worsening. There was a loss of balance and multiple falls. A trip to Urgent Care provided no answers, only the advice to go to her primary care physician Monday. On the phone from New Mexico, I asked if she should go to the Emergency Room. She said Urgent Care said no. I texted my friend, Karen, a neurologist, who said go to Emergency right away. Sarah went Sunday morning.

The diagnosis came Sunday night. We had arrived at our first stop on our trip, and we were confronted with the difficult choice--turn around and go home, or stay for my mother's last trip? Sarah was adamant that we should stay, and her sister, Kati, said she would take care of her until we returned. We finally decided to continue with the trip. We had a wonderful time with family, and remarkably, my mother remembers the trip and all of the things we did.

So now, jammed between three serious illnesses competing for my time and attention, I am again reminded how precious my family is, and how everything I do, I am doing for them. There is beauty, joy, grace, and laughter in every day. We will face each new day together.