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365 Days / #287

Saturday December 25, 2010

 

It actually snowed in Mississippi on Christmas day, although there was no accumulation on the ground. Jeff, Brad and I went over to St. Francis Hospital in Memphis to visit our father who is currently in rehabilitation. He was checked into the hospital after hitting his head and during routine tests they discovered fluid around his lungs. My father suffers from Multiple System Atrophy, a degenerative neurological disorder associated with the degeneration of nerve cells in specific areas of the brain. This cell degeneration causes problems with movement, balance and other autonomic functions of the body such as bladder control or blood pressure regulation. Like most people who suffer from MSA, he was first incorrectly diagnosed as having Parkinson's disease. The average lifespan upon diagnosis is 9 years. It is hard to watch as my Dad deteriorates, but he was the reason I made it back home this Christmas. Because I don't expect to have too many more with him.

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Uploaded on December 29, 2010