My wife Diane struggles every day with multiple sclerosis, as do millions of other Americans — a daunting adversary, MS has taken away almost everything that makes life worth living. She has been in a wheelchair full time for about 15 years now — and amazingly Diane is happy ANYWAY. Yes! She wakes up smiling every day, somehow, somehow. There is no medication that will help or reverse the symptoms… but what does help her is consistent and vigorous water aerobic exercise.
So she works it, baby, out of bed at 6:30 daily and soon in the water 60-90 minutes, five days a week, at the Springboro YMCA. And when possible she goes to the University of Dayton to their special class for MS patients on Saturday mornings for another hour in the pool, pulled and stretched and encouraged by students in the Physical Therapy program. Terrific benefit, and a lot of laughs, she says.
On a recent Saturday the UD class was not available, BUT two of her student helpers there VOLUNTEERED to come clear down to Springboro to help her get that vital exercise done. On their own time, totally free. That’s how much they care about her, and how serious they are about the work. I did little sketches of them at the end (big deal!). What fine young people. Thank you, Lauren and Aswin!!
