FORGET ME NOT

It didn’t just arrive, it crept up on me

Just like that dreaded thing, ‘obesity’

But, unlike some things that one can prevent

MND   is there inside us and from hell is sent

A quirk of gene from when inside the womb

Means an early descent into a world of doom

But, before the unwelcome and untimely  demise

MND steals your life in a way you can’t surmise

Tripping or dropping are some signs that you see

Or drunken-like speech to cause much hilarity

But these strange symptoms are no laughing matter

Your hopes and dreams of old age are quickly shattered

In one fell swoop when you hear those words

It’s Motor Neurone disease. You say, ”Don’t be absurd.

Surely, something else is causing me to fall”?

But when searching the net you hit a brick wall

However much you try to avoid the diagnosis

It’s there, in front of you, with a poor prognosis

At first you are upbeat with a heart full of hope

It’s the only way that you can begin to cope

But, as things progress and your body fails

It’s hard to keep positive and let optimism prevail

Your intended sense of purpose is gradually eroded

You realise that your hopeful future has exploded

Becoming a brain in a body, just a helpless blob

No longer capable of holding down a job

Some of us try hard to make others aware

That MND sufferers have a great deal to bear

Our plight is nowhere near sufficiently known

Though our numbers are many, awareness hasn’t grown  

We are suffering a horrible death and we fear

With a cure far from imminent it will take many years

In the meantime, our needs are not well understood

We don’t get the requirements that we know we should

Individual needs are not well provided for

Though we do get some help we need a great deal more

We’re asking all those healthcare personnel

Who deal with MND, please be sure to treat us well

We can’t wait for months on end for a shower chair

Or to have a 90 page assessment for ‘Continuing Care’

Our life is far too short to wait for ‘help’ for so long

Whilst still trying to remain mentally strong

Please try to understand the problems we’ve got

Help us when we’re here and when we’re gone –

FORGET-ME-NOT!