Before Tomorrow

July 5th, 2011 was the first time a doctor, my doctor, mentioned a concern about my symptoms, and the disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Just over a year ago.

There wasn't a diagnosis, rather a list of things that could explain my symptoms. Some mild ailments were at one end of the spectrum, and ALS at the other.

With Louise's birth - a c-section - planned for two days later, my mind was simply overloaded with emotion.

Amanda surprised me outside the doctor's office that day. We went across the road for breakfast and a debrief. Given the pending birth of Louise, I was determined not to talk about the worst-case scenario I'd just been told of. I was successful, although I got emotional when Amanda talked about Cora...

...The first of many ALS-inspired emotional moments when thinking about my girls.

Louise's birth followed two days later.

In spite of everything going through my mind, Louise's birth was amazing.