I have been completely and beautifully blessed that my sister is my friend, and we have shared an enviable sense of humour and optimism that has made just about everything okay. What needs to be mentioned has been her joyful willingness to be my balance throughout my journey.
Her trusted arm is my lifeline to the outside world. A walking stick would not have safely sufficed and I never considered a wheelchair as I could walk - just not independently - and I had no plans to surrender that to a life sitting down whilst I could still walk. I felt blessed that I could. Incredibly grateful. But I needed help to keep walking.
She refused to leave me behind as daily life ticked on. Just like me she didn’t believe anymore that my deck of cards was enough. She shared every minute and ounce of love and energy she had to include me and make sure I got to wherever I wanted to go and experience a world not always afforded to people when a giant neurological disease comes along. I was comfortable with the ebb and flow of everyone’s life around me. I had zero expectations. I celebrated everyone’s busyness and fullness. I guess I just got lucky she was my sister. There are no words to fully give my sense of gratitude to her.
She has always refused the label that she sacrificed for me to have a quality of life. Instead, she says clearly it was a joy to share so much with me. We have always laughed our way through triumph and tragedy in equal measure. We are undoubtedly spiritual sisters connected at a soul level. Together we have created and extended swapforjoy.
The Gachagan sisters
She has always refused the label that she sacrificed for me to have a quality of life. Instead, she says clearly it was a joy to share so much with me. We have always laughed our way through triumph and tragedy in equal measure. We are undoubtedly spiritual sisters connected at a soul level. Together we have created and extended swapforjoy.