One day, about four years after my diagnosis of ALS, I began having trouble pronouncing words. My tongue felt thick and couldn’t form words at the speed I was thinking them. My speech came out garbled and my brain hurt from trying to overcome the disconnect. At the time,…
Life’s curveballs happen to us all. Many of my column’s topics have been about the unexpected events I face while I live with ALS, as well as what I do to conquer them. But I believe the secret to my ability to handle life’s ups and downs is…
“What was I thinking?” The words boomeranged around my mind as I stood frozen in place under the hot Arizona sun. I was experiencing an ALS patient’s worst nightmare: being stuck with an expanse of sidewalk ahead of me, the same distance behind me, and absolutely zero energy in…
Last week I visited my dermatologist for my annual skin exam and when it was over I left his office with a brand new perspective about my ALS. I’m quite diligent about my annual medical exams — eye exams, regular ALS clinic visits, dental care, and in this case,…
“Keep on moving!” That’s something I tell myself every day. Since I live with ALS, however, keeping myself moving is easier said than done — especially in the afternoon, when my energy drops and I slump deeper into my chair. Oh, my, it’d be so easy to just stay…
It takes courage to reach out to a complete stranger and ask for their help. I know, because I’m that stranger, and the ones seeking my help are people newly diagnosed with ALS. But the good thing is, we’re not strangers for long. That’s because I try to make…
Among the many challenges I experienced during my early months with ALS was the eerie prophecy of a life expectancy of two to five years following diagnosis. Besides putting the brakes on all of my future hopes and dreams, it made my brain feel worthless. I’d ask myself,…
Were you able to watch the recent Paris Olympics? I did, and I’ll admit I tuned in nearly every day. But I wasn’t always such a die-hard fan. Oh, I used to look forward to watching them — until I was diagnosed with ALS in 2010. Abruptly, I felt…
Those crazy, runaway thoughts. When I was young, I used to have them all the time. That’s because I didn’t know the whole story about certain things, so my mind would invent the answers. While growing up, I learned the value of having all the facts, and my crazy…
Copying someone’s actions can be fun and help us learn new things. But imitation can also be dangerous, especially if you live with a serious condition such as ALS, which I have. I learned a lesson in imitation many years ago, while I was teaching a class in aerobic…
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