“Amarcord”

“Amarcord” is some local Italian dialect for “I remember” or at least that is what I learned from a Fellini film of that name many years ago. It’s always just been more fun to say, instead of “I remember”.

 

Thinking of finding Patti asleep in a room full of her elders last night caused me to reflect on the sleeping MS warrior. Some images leap out of the past like a montage.

 

“Amarcord” … when fatigue and strength first began to become a factor, Patti would somehow make it home from work with head held high. Unable to mount the hill and steps to our home, she would take the longer though gentler slopping path around back. Often falling or dropping to the ground she would crawl or even pull herself along across the lawn using grass, shrubs, whatever believing she was unseen by neighbors and wanting no help

 

When she finally did consent to an accessibility ramp being built it could not be ‘visible’. She wanted no image that she was giving in to MS. I had to design and build an elaborate boardwalk with rest points and oversized deck to conceal the ramp. She preferred the longer gentler slopping path arguing the exercise had to be better for her legs.

 

Transition to the electric scooter era only followed months of bitter arguments. Patti the warrior wanted nothing to do with not walking on her own

 

Once in the scooter she became a daredevil. Patti regularly headed out into street traffic, scooting along at her top speed of 17 MPH. With a range of nearly 15 miles she was all over the place. It was freedom and empowerment. Our super sized deck/ramp/boardwalk enabled her to ride directly from inside home to street and back

 

It broke her heart when vision and memory ended that era. One thing that can be said is that Patti NEVER went quietly into any stage of progression.