Duane has been complaining to the nurse that he is board and wants to get out of the house to do something. Last week when we had company I asked Duane if he wanted to take Buddy to dog beach.  He said no.  

This weekend his brother took Buddy to the beach with him and the neighbors to play volleyball – Buddy is very good! hahahahah! A few minutes after they left Duane said he wanted to go to dog beach.  I got him cleaned up and into his wheelchair and to dog beach we went.  I have learned to push him in the bike lane as the street is smoother than the sidewalk.  We got to dog beach easily and then I tried to get him over the bumps onto the sidewalk.  He slipped out. It took a few times but I got him back into the chair and down to the courts.  

We stayed at the beach for about 30 minutes and then decided to leave with his brother.  I took Buddy and he took the wheelchair…it went down hill from this point.  He kept slipping out of his wheelchair, legs cramping straight and he was just in pure misery.  I felt so bad for him.  

We got him home and settled on the couch.  And he was still in so much pain.  

I think we’re at the point where he can’t keep himself stable in the wheelchair.  It takes too much strength and energy for him and he has lost too much muscle to allow it anymore.  I feel bad because his freedoms have already been slashed and we are losing one more thing. It’s a hard to thing to watch.  I wish I could help him more and take away some of his pain.  

– xoxo Victoria

For the last month or so Duane has been taking afternoon naps on a pretty consistent basis.   This is great for all of us.  He gets to rest, I get to work out and Buddy gets to cuddle.  

Naps are something Duane never took, I think to him taking a nap has always been a weak think… I would say lets nap, he would say lets wakeboard, I would say lets nap, he would say lets ski!!!  He never napped.  He finally gave in and would take one a week, now were up to about 5 days a week.  For the last week or so I have also been trying to nap at the same time he does to help with being up all night.  So far it’s working!!

I LOVE naps!

– xoxo Victoria

We’ve been up since 7am, after being up every hour and a half last night. Duane has eaten breakfast, changed clothes, been cleaned up, taken meds, cuddled with Buddy… Yet still no smile.  Here’s to hoping tomorrow will be a nice morning. 

– xoxo Victoria

How to unclog a toilet….

There are no words for how pissed off I am right now…this all could have been avoided, sometimes I think he does things on purpose.  Not taking laxatives, not taking stool softeners, not letting me flush constantly during this process, waiting until 8pm when we are both tired, eating an almost 100% dairy diet – none of those are ways to avoid this.

1. Pour baking soda in the toilet.
2. Pour vinegar in the toilet (it doesn’t matter what kind), let it sit for a few minutes.
3. Pour boiling water in the toilet.  
4. Flush.
5. I repeated these steps 6 times tonight. 
6. You will also need to use the plunger throughout the process.
7. Good luck.

Hope none of you have to ever do this.  If you do I would also advise wearing gloves.  

– xoxo Victoria

This was the last time Duane and I went bass fishing.  June 2014. The Delta. A secret spot.  Big Bass.  Great memories. 

– xoxo Victoria

Happy National Firefighter Day to my favorite fireman.  Some people who follow this blog don’t know…Before Duane was diagnosed with ALS he was a Fire Captain in Reno, NV.  These are a few picture of Fireman Duane!  

I miss this part of Duane.  It was so important to him, to go to work and do a good job, take care of people and make the community a better place. 

– xoxo Victoria

On the yacht we have two depth finder/GPS units, we also have a VHF radio.  They all work well but we needed to wire one of the GPS units and the radio together that so if we make a call on the radio it will automatically send our coordinates to who ever we are calling.  

Ok… I am actually the one who originally wired the units in the boat, 3 years ago, when Duane’s hands first started not working.  (Meaning I wired them and for 3 years they have worked.)

We sat on the couch and Duane explained what would need to be done once we got to the boat.  I called Lawrence 2 times to get wire to wire instructions.  We get to the boat.  It took about a hour, due to misplaced pieces, tools and twisted verbal directions but it got done…and it worked.  So imagine my shock when we get home and among the “compliments” I received was that I am unteachable.  

Sometimes he is just mean.  (Please don’t respond and say  “be nice, it’s the disease” sometimes it’s not, sometimes it’s just being mean). The reason we were at the boat and I was doing this was because of the conversation we had the night before:

D- I’m proud of you for getting your captain’s license.

V- Thank you

D- Just because you have your captains license it doesn’t make you a captain….

V- The United States government doesn’t agree. (Probably shouldn’t have said that but….)

D- You only know how to drive one boat and you don’t know how to fix anything or work on a boat.

It feels like if he gives a compliment he has to follow it with at least two negatives as to knock me down to below where I was before the conversation started.  One step forward, two steps back, is my new motto. 

– xoxo Victoria

A few weeks ago I went to Target and bought this piece of heaven!   LIFESAVER!!!  Best thing ever!!  I can now stay in the living room when Duane goes to bed and still here him when he needs to roll.  I can walk out to get the mail and still hear him when he is taking a nap.  I can have a little bit of peace after a really trying day and not be accused of ignoring him!!  

– xoxo Victoria

SPENCER!!!!  KLOE!!!!! We seriously have some great friends.  Spencer, his wife Jenna and their great dog Kloe used to live close to us in Northern California and then close to us in San Diego and they just recently moved to Long Beach.  

They have always made a point to come down to visit us, bring dinner and spend time just hanging out.  

Spencer has always made sure to touch base and bring lunch over when he is in the area midweek.  It makes Duane so happy to be able to spend time with him and talk fishing or literally just sit on the couch and share a siesta!! hahahahah!

-xoxo Victoria

Holding hands is a promise to one another that, for just a moment, the two of you don’t have to face the world alone.  I don’t know who said that but I love it!

– xoxo Victoria