There’s a little shadow on the outside of my left eye that I notice sometimes. The doctor told me that it is the edge of the cataract lens and that it refracts some of the light back into my field of vision. He told me to ignore. myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/dm-and-ca… #annwoodbury

Cataracts in Myotonic Dystrophy (DM) are common. In fact, it is due to early cataracts that many people are diagnosed. DM cataracts are called “Christmas Tree” cataracts due to the way that they reflect the light. I’ve never seen myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/dm-and-ca… #annwoodbury

1981 so I thought that I was prepared to be a wife and mother. I wasn’t aware of the bias of that time period towards Ableism, discrimination and/or favoritism towards able-bodied people. My education didn’t give me preparation for myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/coaching-…

When I had my first cataract removed, I couldn’t drive home and I couldn’t lift anything for 3 days. Kent had to take over driving and in our home. He did really well at it. I had prepared a big pot of soup before I went in for the myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/being-the… #annwoodbury

Human beings are “meaning making machines.” Very often we make things that happen mean something. Then the meaning that we assign to it hurts our feelings. I always assumed that if Kent didn’t listen to what I said, that it meant that he myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/being-the… #annwoodbury

We had a team come into our house the other day to inspect our bed. We have a bed that you can elevate the head or feet with and it was acting up. The regular person, whom we have worked with before, is very appropriate. He is concerned myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/being-the… #annwoodbury

We all have varying degrees of impulsivity and varying degrees of “self-awareness.” My father, who has dementia, struggles a lot with both impulsivity and “self-awareness.” His doctors manage his medication appropriately myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/being-the… #annwoodbury

Living with family members with Myotonic Dystrophy (DM) can be confusing and scary. With the effects on the frontal lobe our loved ones can be apathetic and not very self-aware. At least this is my experience. Kent has had so many health myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/letting-go #annwoodbury

This has been a very stressful time period. I have often wondered if Kent wasn’t going to survive. I have a wonderful doctor that used to be a hospice worker. She isn’t afraid to talk to me about life and death. She explained that death is myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/letting-go #annwoodbury

She also told me that when it’s Kent’s time to go, that I’ll have to let him go. In other words, I think that she is assuming that I am not willing to let him go. I thought about this a lot after I saw her.  I have lost loved ones in myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/letting-go #annwoodbury

Ever since our children were young our family has been very diligent at seeing the dentist regularly. We have our teeth cleaned religiously every six months. A little over a year ago our dentist, Dr. George Winder, made us myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/hygiene-h… #annwoodbury

We also learned that due to their poor oral muscle activity that they always have phlegm in the back of their throat. We had learned to accept the build-up in the back of their throat as unavoidable.  But we learned that myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/hygiene-h… #annwoodbury

We also learned that due to their poor oral muscle activity that they always have phlegm in the back of their throat. We had learned to accept the build-up in the back of their throat as unavoidable. But we learned that this thick myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/hygiene-h… #annwoodbury

In my office I have a sign that says “I promise to be kind and gentle with myself and to honor myself with love and respect.” #annwoodbury

One benefit of this was shorter lines for getting on the rides. But also, while we were waiting in line, each person took turns sitting in the wheelchair therefore being able to rest for a moment. My family got a kick myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/conservin… #annwoodbury

In 2005 Michael got a large sum of money from social security for back payment when the attorney won his social security claim. Michael decided to take our family to Disneyworld with some of his money. Of course, this was myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/conservin… #AnnWoodbury

Due to their impaired fronto-temporal lobe which affects their ability to plan, all of these conservation techniques are difficult for them and they will default to the old way that they are used to. Since I am aware of their default I my.clevelandclinic.org/health/article…

myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/clutterin…

Pros and cons of having a speech disorder. Pro: You will rarely be called upon to give a speech or say the prayer unless the people in the group hardly know you (If you don‘t like talking in front of people, no problem). Con: You are rarely called upon. myotonicdystrophycoach.com/.../cluttering…

Unraveling the Challenges of Myotonic Dystrophy: Understanding the Diagnosis and Living with Introduction Myotonic Dystrophy (DM) is a complex and often misunderstood genetic disorder that affects thousands of individuals worldwide. myotonicdystrophycoach.com/post/unravelin… #AnnWoodbury