Cat Bell? Cow Bell? or Craig Bell?

Craig's evolving disease process spares nothing from its clenches. Lately, as his body slows down and grows more tired, so too have his vocal cords and throat muscles that help him speak. His voice has waned to a whisper and is now far too quiet for any of us to hear should he need to call for help.  The act of calling also tuckers him out. To help reduce the strain, we sent Dad on a bell mission; he came back with Colorado's finest ornamental bell.  So now, rather than burn his engines calling our names (on the rare occasion we're not in ear shot, like when he's in the shower), Craig can simply flick his wrist and there we are.  Water needs, bed turns, help with sitting up, whatever the need, we're there to help.  Each time, I sing to myself "you can ring my bell-el- lll, ring my bell."

Like other alarms, with every real alert, you also have "false alarms."  Already we've had moments when Craig has accidentally bumped his bell in pursuit of some other item. In a blaze, we sprint over to help. It's quite comical, our speed. Where's the fire? Somebody see Elvis or something? What? what?

Craig has come to love his bell much like he loves his morphine button or the chair on which we prop his vomit bucket. He took his bell into the shower with him today...just...in...case. Thank God he did. We'd rather a spotter be with him at all times, but settled with the bell in the face of privacy.

Diane, Jill and I were waiting in the family room as he showered. It wasn't but 5 minutes when we heard a slight tinkle of the bell as he picked it up, then full force ring followed by silence. I opened the door to find Craig hiding behind the shower door. I couldn't help but smile. God bless him for still believing we haven't seen it all with him. To repeat a phrase, nothing is spared when battling cancer. Our care for him runs deep and through all circumstances; because it does, we do anything possible to keep up the pretenses just to give him that peace of mind.

He made his request and whispered, "by the way, the bell is in the trash." Cracked me up to see the ornamental thing amongst the trash. I picked it up, handed it to him, and watched him bring his new best friend into the shower. Who needs a rubber ducky when you have a Craig bell? ~E