no big deal

an internet friend of my posted a thread yesterday titled no big deal. in her post she reflected about her life with her LO and related what was a big deal and what was no big deal. i thought a lot about russ and reflected myself.

here is my version of no big deal,

as his disease has progressed,
i now have to be russ' advocate, no big deal
i now have to dress russ, no big deal
i now have to wash up russ and brush his teeth, no big deal
i now have to prepare all his food and sometimes feed russ, no big deal
i now have to toilet russ, no big deal
i now have to transfer and assist russ walk, no big deal
i now have to give russ all of his meds, no big deal
i now have to sometimes decipher what russ is trying to say, no big deal
i now have to join russ in his reality or when he hallucinates, no big deal
i now have to try to calm russ down when he gets anxious, no big deal
i now have to put russ to bed and get him up in the morning, no big deal
i now have to say russ' prayers for him, no big deal

some days when i help russ with some of these activities, i may get a "thank you." - now that's a big deal.
most days though, russ is still able to say to me, "i love you too." and that's a REALLY big deal!!!