Today is different. I’ve been having increasing difficulty typing. I previously promised myself that if this ever happened I would use assistive devices available to me. That is, no matter how humbling it may be. Because like it or not I’m not the same woman I used to be!
Now, today is different because I’m using dictation software in order to complete this post.
I guess you can say it’s a milestone of sorts. In fact over the course of the last few years every time I had to start using a new device I considered it a very big deal. Whether it’s my cane, walker, wheelchair, scooter or power chair, I had to accept my new reality. Or as we say every year it seems to be something, and here once again is one of my new normals. To be honest though, I saw this one coming. More often when I’m tired, I’m require help to do normal, easy, simple tasks; for example buttoning my shirts or putting on my own deodorant or sometimes even feeding myself! Thank God for my husband and my mom.
Fortunately, with this computer program I simply speak into the microphone on the computer and it in turn types what I say. I really, really didn’t want to use it or anything else. It was hard to accept any kind of help at first. But, I figured in order to keep with what I preach… I had to. Writing has become my outlet from MS. I’ll be damned if I let multiple sclerosis shrewdly yank that away from me too.
At first for me, like many others, multiple sclerosis meant only blurry vision. But look at me now. I imagine I’m going to accept my new typing limitation and move on to embrace this dictation software on my computer. I may even be drawn to purchase brand name fancy software. Who knows?
I’m even having problems using my computer mouse. My hands just will not listen to me. I did however read about a device that moves your mouse with your eye movement.
Maybe in a few months I’ll be ready to tackle that one.
