My mum had been experiencing a dragging foot, falls, and a broken hip.
My mum was a very proud and brave lady, she was always smiling and giving you the thumbs up sign. After several doctors appointments and tests, my mum was diagnosed with MND in June 2006.
I could not believe what I was hearing as the doctor explained what this disease was. After the intial few days of trying to come to terms with this news, we all pulled ourselves together and tried to be strong for one another.
We booked a family holiday for October that year and all had a fantastic time.
We also brought our wedding forward, which my mum and me spent so much fun and time organising together. My wedding day was the happiest day of my life, my mam looked amazing and although by this point she was struggling to walk and her speech was slightly slurred, she was determined to walk down the aisle with help of the ushers and even got up for the first dance with my dad, which brought a tear to everyones eye.
Sadly after the wedding mam's symptoms got worse, by Christmas she could no longer walk, her speech had become extremely slurred and she was struggling to eat.
We celebrated her 55th birthday in February 2008 then in the March she took a turn for the worst and the doctors said her lungs were collapsing, sadly she died two weeks later.
My mum was a very proud and brave lady, she was always smiling and giving you the 'thumbs up' sign. Seeing what this disease did to her was horrific, and I can't begin to imagine how she must have been feeling, but she always remained strong for the rest of us. She fought this disease with such courage and deteremination.
I miss her so, so much and hope that one day a cure is found for this awful disease.
