Former It’s a knockout host Fiona MacDonald spoke New idea on living with motor neuron disease.
Sharing her story in support of Global MND Awareness Day on June 21, she was diagnosed two years ago.
MND extension it is a condition that progressively damages parts of the nervous system. This leads to muscle weakness, often with visible wasting. In Australia, two people are diagnosed every day and two die from the disease every day.
In the case of McDonald’s, walking, talking and eating all require enormous, sometimes overwhelming, effort.
“At first I didn’t connect when people called themselves (an MND warrior),” he said. “I was more into the mindset, ‘If a battle can’t be won, don’t fight it.’
“But as my neurons fail and my muscles wear out, I begin to understand what they mean.
“Things that required no effort with fully functional muscles, such as smiling, singing – albeit badly – swallowing, eating with your mouth closed, running to escape the rain or walking on soft sand are difficult, if not impossible,” he said .
Fiona MacDonald, 66, began her media career as a children’s presenter Wombat and co-hosted the 80s game show It’s a knockout. He has spent the last twenty years in marketing and public relations for the wine industry and has run his own consulting firm Wine Chronicles.
Lately she loves hanging out with her adult children, builder Harry and bar/restaurant manager Rafe. She sees sisters Kylie and Jacki-di Hey hey it’s Saturday fame – as often as possible. A close-knit group of friends make her laugh, help with medical appointments and take her swimming in the ocean pool near her east Sydney home.
“I had to contend with using a walking stick, a walker and a wheelchair,” she said.
“My speech is already failing. Accepting these things is not easy. It’s awful to give up your power, to live with the overwhelming knowledge of more weaknesses to come.
“So now I understand and have joined the ranks of MND warriors. I have a leopard-print cane and a wheeled walker that can walk across fields. I paste a smile on my face as I walk out and throw open the front door thinking, ‘Damn you, MND!’”
To donate funds to MND research and trials, visit Here.
Source: New idea
