Sally, something you said triggered a memory. My Dad had MS, diagnosed (I think) in 1957 after at least a couple years of mystery and random symptoms. He was 39. I can remember that we lived very, very frugally with the spectre of his potential disability hanging over us. Mom would say, "We never know if tomorrow will be the day your father will wake up and not be able to get out of bed."

Only now do I understand how it must have felt for him, and for my Mom.

It never happened, by the way. He retired at 62, and died at 79 of COPD. He used a cane, but was still getting up and down stairs under his own steam a few days before he died.