"Thanks to multiple sclerosis, one thing after another has been wrenched from my life -- dancing, driving, walking, working -- and I have learned neither to yearn after them nor to dread further deprivation but to attend to what I have."

I was reading this Oct 16 entry quoting from a review of Nancy Mairs' new book by David L. Ulin and realized this is what I am hoping for one of my brothers. He has a progressive disease similar to MS. He has a lot of anger but even before he had the problems with the disease, many folks would say, "It's all about him." It is pretty much impossible to have a conversation where it doesn't become all about him. He is disappointed in his friends that don't call or come by much anymore. One person quipped, "After talking to him on the phone, I want to kill myself." It is not a conversation, he does all the talking. I actually have to push my way into the conversation when I feel it is important to make a point that is helpful to him. He usually thanks me for my advice and for just listening.