She doesn't sound lonely to me. She has her pets and a housemate and friends she talks to on the internet and phone. If she is lonely, she doesn't allude to it in this article.

She is a VERY brave woman to live so long with such a horrible disease. And very strong for over-coming most of the set backs.

yes, tehdreamer, but for most people what the brave woman lives through would amount to maybe the worst loneliness imaginable.

she has 24/7 nursing care around her....but that is one strong lady

Mark O'Brien was a person that had polio at a young age, was mostly paralyzed and had been in an iron lung for a long time. He produced poetry and articles and even attended Berkley in an iron lung. He used his mouth in a technology to type on his computer while in the iron lung. I believe it was two TV shows that were done on him. An incredible and determined man. He passed away too soon.

http://globaldialoguecenter.blogs.com/disabilities/2013/02/mark-obrien-living-with-polio-in-an-iron-lung.html

Well at least we don't have to lie in that thing, man o man...

After seeing this, I feel very, very lucky. Thanks for posting this.
Great reality check.

"Everybody becomes disabled unless they die first."
- Mark O'Brien
--------------------

Mark O'Brien had that saying and I reminded people frequently of it when I would live in places and they would try to deny allowing service animals or accessibility for the disabled.

I would remind them that it only takes one fall to place them as disabled permanently in a wheelchair for the rest of their life as happened to me. And as they age, they will either die first or need wheelchairs, power chairs, and maybe even service animals to allow them to be independent. It spooks them because they don't think about the future and don't consider they might become disabled like me, let alone being in a iron lung like Mark O'Brien and the other lady. It's good to remind people.

For some reason I have the dont worry be happy song stuck in my head lol and i dont even know why

Just gotta add cause my post sounds so awfl ... that ... im so sorry for that woman.
I ment I feel greatful. was an awfl thing to say. sorry hands shaking.

Knowing that some other person has it worse doesn't make my situation any better. True, it can always get worse, but that doesn't solve my loneliness issue.

Nor any other issue for that matter. You are so right. I do not delight in the misery of others and my post was offensive.