Last week, my husband, Todd, celebrated his 55th birthday — a milestone we never anticipated after he was diagnosed with ALS at age 39 in June 2010. For his 40th birthday that October, I asked friends and family to send me pictures and their favorite memories with Todd, and…
Once in a while, there’s a topic on the ALS News Today Forums that inspires a new column. The question posted was a simple one: “Do you celebrate ALS-related anniversaries?” I intended my reply to be just a simple “Yes.” But I ended up adding, “However, what I…
“What do you think about having one thimbleberry design on one side of a mug and a different one on the other?” I asked my husband, Todd. We’d been brainstorming ideas for some print-on-demand items that I might try selling. Todd has had a fixed income ever since he was…
My frustration brought me to tears today, and I had to take a step back and remember to care for myself in addition to caring for my husband, Todd, who has ALS. Todd’s new wheelchair was delivered today, and like the one he’s been in for the past 11…
Last week, I opened my inbox and an article from ALS News Today caught my eye. The story, “Maximizing lung function with ALS,” explained how patients can proactively manage their lung health while living with ALS. After reading it, I pumped my fist in the air, a…
Autumn has a very specific feeling where I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Right now, the daylight is getting shorter, the temperature is more brisk, and the lush greens of summer have given way to more muted hues as leaves get ready to change color and fall from…
I caught up with an old friend last weekend. We were in a moms’ group when our now college-age children were just babies. She was visiting our small town because her son goes to college here. It’s hard to believe that we met nearly two decades ago — and harder…
While my late husband, Jeff, was living with ALS, a close family member was diagnosed with colon cancer and required immediate surgery. Fortunately, the cancer had been caught early, and the surgery was successful in eliminating it without complications. The unexpected cancer diagnosis meant that we now had a…
Cooler-than-average temperatures these last few weeks are turning our maple trees red, reminding me that winter is just around the corner. Due to caring for my husband, Todd, who has ALS, I don’t often get out to see the best of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula — such as the shores…
Come on, do we really need another reminder to practice self-care? I think we do. I know I need it, especially because I have ALS and am living in a world that’s barreling down a bumpy track. The type of self-care I’m currently focusing on isn’t a self-indulgent three-day vacation,…
