Macular Degeneration

This week my mom was diagnosed with the beginning stages of Macular Degeneration. That is a very scary diagnosis for our family. My grandma had Macular Degeneration, and lost her eyesight. Grandma was an amazing lady, and handled it with such strength and humor. The thought of my mom losing her eyesight is hard to imagine.

Currently, there is no cure for MD. Vitamins and diet are the only course of treatment. My mom will be taking lots of vitamins and eating high antioxidant fruits and vegetables. We hope and pray that the disease will progress very slowly. Macular Degeneration is hereiditary, so that is a huge incentive for me to add more of the high antioxidant fruits and vegetables into my families diet. This morning Holden and I ate some yummy blueberries. Josef put a couple in his mouth, but he did not like the texture, and I couldn't get him to bite one (I am sure if he had bit it he would have liked it!)

Last week my dad FINALLY got hearing aids (he has needed them for a very long time!) We always use to laugh at my grandma and Ken (her third husband), because my grandma was blind and Ken couldn't hear. One time the missionaries (that lived with them) overheard a phone conversation like this...

Grandma, "let me give the phone to my husband, because I can't see." Ken, "wait let me give the phone back to my wife, because I can't hear you!"

I am afraid that I might some day overhear that conversation, only it will be my mom and dad! Hopefully that won't happen because my dad has his hearing aids now, and my mom is going to eat so many antioxidants that the cells in her macula aren't going to break down!

I talked to Wilson and Holden about Grandma's diagnosis, so they have been praying for Grandma. Wilson has been really concerned, and I have had some interesting conversations with him. After I told him that my grandma had gone blind, and that is what Grandma has (my grandma's was wet MD, and my mom's is dry - so we hope and pray my mom's vision doesn't degenerate as quickly), Wilson asked my if it was going to happen to me to - I told him I hope not. Another time Wilson was talking about when he turns 7, and then he said, "but Mom, Grandma won't be able to see me as well when I am 7." I told him that hopefully she will see him just as well. Holden diligently prays for Grandma's eyes, oh how that little boy loves his Grandma! I am so grateful for my tenderhearted little boys, they can be SO crazy, but they have VERY tender hearts!