Hi! Welcome to Sweet Speakable Sorrow. My name is Tricia, and I am my mother’s daughter. The day my mom, Susan Catlett, died, I removed her blog, Susan’s […]
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#1 The ALS Journey
Susan Catlett
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#69 My ALS Journey–My New Normal
Many scary days Many fear-filled nights Muscles twitching Muscles cramping Musing about what is next, when is the rest? Some days are good, Some not so great Sometimes […]
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#68 My ALS Journey–Support
I am weary. It is the Monday after our monthly Saturday ALS support group meeting. Most of the time, I can handle the experience, and sometimes, like this […]
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#67 My ALS Journey–Adjustments
In March 1964, I was in a car going somewhere I shouldn’t have been, thinking to myself that if this didn’t work, I would just have to adjust. […]
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#66 My ALS Journey–Open the Door
Not wanting to make a big deal, but DOORS are our only way in and out; this can be frustrating. An incident this morning at Sweetpeas Restaurant in […]
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#65 My ALS Journey–Near Panic
It was ever so slight. I woke up in the middle of the night, wanting to turn over, and was instantly reminded that I can’t. Then the thoughts […]
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#64 My ALS Journey–Great Day: Tour of Capital Christian School
Sometimes you have an opportunity to do something that is just plain great. I got to do that today. One of the bullets on my resume is my […]
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#63 My ALS Journey–New Challenges
What a journey! Rarely during my life have I been ill, yet, much to my chagrin, after all this time, I am still adjusting to all the ‘ins […]
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#62 My ALS Journey–Almost Normal
Almost every day, Cliff and I are on the move. We do this with intention, primarily because we want to avoid thinking about my condition. I mentioned in […]
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#61 My ALS Journey–Tethered
“Tethered: The utmost length to which one can go in action; the utmost extent or limit of ability.” Last night, while sitting in my power bike, watching […]
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#60 My ALS Journey–What Would My Mother Say?
It has been exactly a week since I had my Supra Pubic Catheter surgery, and some people have been a little surprised about my openness on such a […]
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# 59 My ALS Journey–Call 9-1-1
As the Emergency First Responders headed toward the front door from our bathroom, I yelled to Tricia from the back of the house, “Get their picture!” Cliff was […]
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# 58 My ALS Journey–Catheters and Urine
Each week, as I prepare to write this blog, I spend time reflecting on events that impact my life, either directly or indirectly related to my ALS, keeping […]
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#57 My ALS Journey–Gimmicks and Gadgets
This past week, I was jazzed. I like being proactive and figuring things out. I am part of a Facebook group that is only open to ALS patients. […]
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#56 My ALS Journey–Walk and Roll With Me
After being diagnosed with ALS in August 2011, our world was turned upside down. We were advised: you have a life expectancy of two to five years, get […]
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#55 My ALS Journey—Some Really Good Things
“Grief is a part of what it means to be human in a broken world. And once you wrap your heart around that fact, your sorrows have a […]
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#54 My ALS Journey—The First Step
“It is not down on any map; true places never are.” Herman Melville As they say in many 12-Step Programs, “Hi, my name is Susan and I have […]
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#53 My ALS Journey—My Anniversary Date
“Lady, that’s where Jasper is. He’s in the green house over there!” I’m driving with my just six-year-old granddaughter, Selena, and I strain to turn my head to […]
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#52 My ALS Journey—The Electronic Dilemma
It’s a good reminder here that my mother rarely asked for help. She was highly independent, and even throughout her diagnosis, I was called to come to […]
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#51 My ALS Journey—Rule 15: Be a Crusader & Know Your Disease
Almost every post I add to this blog guts me. Of course, I miss my mother, but I am also overwhelmed with the sweet gifts her life continues […]
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#50 My ALS Journey—Well Deserved Tantrum
I am very sorry indeed to hear that anxieties again assail you. (By the way, don’t ‘weep inwardly’ and get a sore throat. If you must weep, weep: […]