Jaye, you might like to know that my husband, who had one hip replaced in 2000 and the other in Jan. 2005, feels that he is still improving. He finally stopped using a cane just a few months ago.

I've decided that leaving my job is a good thing (most of the time, the rest of the time I'm scared!). Now I have to find out how to go on disability. I see my MDS the end of Jan. and I guess the process starts then. I get 66% of my pay, but I have no idea whether benefits continue or not, or anything else about it. I have about 8 months of sick leave and holiday built up, so I suppose that has to be used up first. I'll phone our disability person my next day off with a list of questions.

Right now, my 19 yr. old son is out proving how tough and capable he is. One of our horses on a farm about 7 miles out of town is getting old and frail, and needs to be put in the barn at night. We have had near blizzard conditions for the last two hours, and the roads have been really icy, but off he goes in my van with no four wheel drive and no cell phone. Then I get a phone call from a school bus driver via her headquarters that he's in the ditch. He's had lots of time to walk to the nearest farm, but he hasn't called yet, and no one I've called has seen him. He took lots of warm clothes with him and is probably just fine, but..... Okay, happy ending! He just phoned - got himself unstuck the first time, looked after the horse, then got stuck again coming home and is now safe with some friends who live nearby. When he gets home, I'm going to explain to him that being his mother is way too stressful and I'm going to put him up for adoption!!!!! LOL The worst tremor I've ever had was before I really had any other symptoms - my horse went over backwards on top of him while I watched. I was sure he'd been killed. Then there was the phone call while we were on holiday this summer that he hadn't returned from his canoe trip. Need I say more!

Todd, PD's timing with you was really bad, for sure. There are a lot of trite things a person could say - just hope all goes well, one way or another.