mick_b wrote:This ms situation has shifted a huge burden onto my wife. I try to help but then I’m down for days. It’s very hard to find a balance or accept that I simply cannot support the family in any reliable / physical way.....
....I’d like to hear about how others deal with this loss of physical capacity and deciding what has to go. We are trying to decide if we should move out of our house and into a small condo or something?
Hi Mick,
It is hard to find a balance and to accept physical losses when you've previously been very active. I am learning to deal with it gradually. I find that if I rest a lot, then I can do some physical things.
Like today, I cooked a turkey. Yesterday I baked pies. I planned a big dinner. Others brought many other dishes. It wasn't perfect, but we were all together. I used to do a lot more. Now, I'll be sitting in a chair for three days and sleeping later in the morning to compensate. By late afternoon, I was curled up on the couch. And here I sit.

There were lots of helpers to set things up and to clean up the mess.
You can learn to do things differently but often it just means accepting or asking for help. That was a biggie for me, but I'm ok with it now.
We have considered moving into a townhome, there are some nice ones nearby. The maintenance is done by a lawn service, so all you have to do is keep up the inside of your own place. But, they are tri-level, not ranch. Maybe someday, but not yet for us.
Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
Take care, Ewizabeth Previously Avonex, Rebif & Copaxone RRMS ~Tysabri, 31 infusions, ended 9/09. Starting Copaxone 12/09, waiting for Cladribine to be approved in 2010.