Degressing

I love my family to pieces, but I have not been a fan  of big family gatherings for years.

It's hard to maneuver when I am in a crowd.

It is also hard to hear unless someone is talking straight to me. Even if someone is talking to me, background noise makes it so hard. I have to strain so hard to pick up even scraps.

Tonight as I sat quietly through dinner unable to join in the boisterous conversation, I realized another issue: I can see the progress of my disease all too clearly.

I used to be able to take part in our dinner-table talk or group games.

Like so much in my life, "used to" is the key phrase.