A thought or two..

I've been watching a documentary of sorts on The Science Channel, "Megaquake: The hour that shook Japan".  At the end of the show this old man says that in his 70 years of life he's had his share of bad experiences but this was the worst and then he says that they now have to start from scratch.  It also brings to mind the people in our southern states, especially Alabama where over 100 tornadoes touched down yesterday.  The earthquake in Japan..over 13,000 people are confirmed dead with over 14,000 people still missing.  Yesterdays tornado disasters there are over 200 killed with possible missing.  I imagine they are starting from scratch, too.  I have been so lucky that I haven't had to deal with any kind of disaster of this magnitude.  It's gotta be like surviving a war; shock, disbelief and then acceptance with maybe some anger and despair rolling around there.  That being said, the reality of my husband fighting a life threatening illness was earth shaking and it's like we are in the middle of some kind of metaphorical storm or tsunami.  The waves or the winds are threatening us and our lives as we know it  now.  I'm pretty sure we/I have no idea how it is to survive what those people in Japan and in tornado ravaged areas is; but I feel like our way of life has shifted.  Now it's all about survival.  How can we keep Andy alive and well and to live until he's so old he can't stand up straight and has a foot of grey hair growing out of his ears?  I think he and I, together, can conquer this and I know that his strength will bolster mine; prop me up by watching his example.  I was struck by how turned around by this diagnosis of Andy's I am and when I see the devastation that these people are dealing with; I figure that if they can literally pick themselves up; deal with their emotions and the reality of their new life, then I certainly can deal with the reality of our new life and I can stand behind Andy to be his wall, his rock and when he's strong enough literally and figuratively, then I can be beside him and we can continue our life together.  We might have to look behind us; at the destruction an illness such as MDS can wreak, to remind us how we need to keep looking forward, after we start from scratch and take each day and cherish it; hold it close and never, ever take it for granted.