Columns

“Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book? It took me years to write, will you take a look? … If you must return it, you can send it here,  But I need a break, and I want to be a paperback writer.” A story in a London…

Most folks know me through my column, “Living Well With ALS,” and perhaps don’t know that for the past three years, I’ve also been a co-moderator of the ALS News Today Forums. I thoroughly enjoy this responsibility, and to bring a bit of levity to this online job,…

I was struck by the wording in an advertisement in Quest magazine, a publication of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, that invited people “coping with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)” to participate in an observational study. I think of “coping” as not only dealing with something difficult, but doing so…

“Cellophane shrink-wrapped, so correct Red dogs under illegal legs … She is watching the detectives ‘Ooh, it’s so cute.'” Elvis Costello’s homage to film noir crime drama, “Watching the Detectives,” inadvertently became a musical tipping point as 2021 bled into 2022. On Dec. 30, my pastor — and dear…

What’s my big wish as we all move forward with pandemic life in 2022? To live in a world with better communication skills. Specifically, to improve how we listen to each other. Because from where I sit, there’s a whole lot of telling going on and not enough waiting to…

On New Year’s Eve, I took our kids and their friends bowling. My husband, Todd, who has ALS and is paralyzed, stayed home and used his computer. As we arrived at the bowling alley, I received a text from Todd saying that he needed my help with his…

“Mirror in the bathroom Please talk free The door is locked Just you and me.” The time for annual resolutions to be implemented has arrived. The most impactful betterment plans arise from an honestly objective self-review. What more appropriate figurative…

Anyone up for setting their New Year’s resolutions? Not me. Normally, I’d use these days in January to conjure up resolutions, create new daily routines, and set personal goals for the year ahead. But after the past two years of roller-coaster events that blew holes in my resolutions, I feel…

It feels like a win when we can figure out how to include my husband, Todd, in game nights. He is paralyzed because of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), so any game that requires writing or moving is a challenge. That would include most games, but we can make some…

Lately, living with ALS amid the continuing world health crisis has me dialing my resilience-meter up to “high.” Why? Both have limited treatments and no cure in sight, and convert our old “normal” lives into an ever-changing world of new normal. And both require resilience. Resilience is our ability to…