MDF Magazine Issue 72 December 2023

with similar problems, and this was hugely liberating, but
I slowly learned I didn’t have a lot to talk about. I have
since learned that one of the biggest parts of counselling
people is just letting them tell you their story. People
just want to be heard, and very often it helps so much
just to talk to someone in a similar position with challenges
you can relate to.
After I stopped driving, I still wanted to tell people my
story, tell people what it has felt like as my muscles have
slowly stopped working, and explain my emotions and
feelings at the time. I had been encouraged by a few
people to write a memoir, and after a few years of trying
here and there, I met Andrew Miller (also with MD), and
he held my hand and guided me through the writing and
publication process. I got so much phenomenal feedback,
not only from friends and family but also from
many people around the globe, and this made me feel
like I was finding my purpose to a certain extent. I told
you guys about the video project I am currently setting
my mind to. It’s still in the post, but as with everything in
my life, it is happening painfully slowly. I’ve run into a
few brick walls, but things are moving again, so please
continue watching this space – hopefully something
pretty cool will evolve next year. Maybe I will revitalise
something I was going to start when Covid foiled my
plans. What I am saying is I have had and found quite a
bit of stuff to give me meaning and a sense of purpose
throughout my time here, but in between I have felt that
I’ve been stumbling around and not amounting to anything
or fulfilling my potential. What I want to tell you is
that just by being you and living your life, you are putting
yourself out into the world and are changing the perspective
of not only your friends and family but also the
random guy at the shops. If you had told me this when I
was younger, I’d have wanted to punch you in your ear
because I thought I was going to accomplish something
titanic. But I realise now the power that lies in just being
able to change the perspective of another small dude in
the shops about his own life. I am encouraging you just
to keep yourself busy doing small things for yourself or
to help your family. If you set your mind to doing stuff
that way, you won’t drive yourself bonkers thinking
about scenarios that might have been possible or can
never be a reality. I wish someone had told me this when
I was first diagnosed.
The attitude I’ve advocated gives you less time to ruminate
about the ‘could-have’, ‘would-have’, ‘should-have’
stuff. I have seen both sides of this, when I was younger
and more so in the past few years. Time has been a
weird concept throughout my life – and I’m pretty sure
the same goes for a lot of you guys too.
In Memoriam
There are special people in our lives who never leave us, even after they
are gone.
Our hearts go out to the families and friends who lost loved ones. The Gauteng branch sadly lost the following
members during 2023.
•
•
Lister Nxumalo
Ntswaki Mangwane
• Jonathan Groenewald
• Jason Howieson
• Tiaan Greyling
• Richard Africa
• Abraham Mabogoane
• Mzamane Daliwonga
• Eric Taruradza
• Tumisho Thobela
• Carol Oosthuizen
Sadly, the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation Cape Branch also lost two members, namely Safaa Mowlana and Taariq
Hassan. May their dear souls rest in eternal peace.