Columns

How ALS Affects the Hierarchy of Needs

I’ve written before about how the world has been shrinking for my husband, Todd, and me. Some activities, such as going on vacation or visiting people in their homes, became too difficult, even before social distancing mandates, due to Todd’s worsening ALS symptoms. But we still made an effort…

Finding the Funny Moments in Caregiving

ALS is certainly a serious condition, and there is nothing funny about it, but many funny moments can happen. For my caregiver husband and me, holding on to a sense of humor is such an important part of our relationship that we can’t imagine letting a day go by without…

When Positivity Becomes a Problem

Last week, we had an early snowfall, even for Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Snow frosted the tips of trees and blanketed the grass, leaving small bits of green peeking through. I posted a picture on social media and wrote, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Gearing up for…

Adding My Voice to a Valuable Study

I love being in win-win situations. We all do. Especially while world events continue to push the boundaries of our patience. And my latest project offers me many wins: It’s the perfect addition to my current home voice program, and I’m helping to research ALS voice issues. Like 80%…

We Are Both Patients

I asked my husband, Todd, why he thought our relationship worked as well as it does. I was preparing to write a column about how we still love each other through the stress of living with his ALS for a decade now. It would be understandable for him to…