Columns

It’s always gratifying to know what I write is helpful to others living with ALS. Recently, I wrote about how I periodically take the time to review my daily habits and set new goals for the month. While readers left many comments thanking me, others asked if I had…

We had an unseasonably warm fall day while Todd’s sister was visiting from out of state last week. I asked Todd if he’d want to head down to McLain State Park just 15 minutes from our home. “I suppose,” he said somewhat reluctantly. He wanted to be social even…

“What do we do now?” That line from the 1972 movie “The Candidate” came to mind recently. The movie stars Robert Redford as a political neophyte. Redford’s character, Bill McKay, is offered as a sacrificial lamb…

We had snow in the air last week, reminding me that Christmas is coming, and with it, one of my favorite creative projects: wreath-making. I’ll start clipping the Fraser fir boughs and assembling the wreaths in November, but in the meantime, I’ve been gathering pine cones. I’ve been wiring…

No one applauds when the train is on time. That was the metaphor I invoked during the portion of my career spent in system implementation and post go-live support organizations within the pharmacy automation industry. I suggested that ensuring uptime was…

Happy October, everyone! It’s time for a mini-celebration. During this crazy year, each new month means more of 2020 is behind us. We have all undergone change over the months, especially those of us facing the challenges of ALS. However, our changes extend indefinitely. Maintaining my resilience is a priority.

On most days, I walk three laps around the fields on my mom’s property next to my home. My stress diminishes as I drink in the natural beauty while exercising. I stop and smell apple blossoms in the spring. I pause to snack on early summer sugar snap peas…

“Love the One You’re With.” In his 1970 release, Stephen Stills advised folks to show carnal affection for whomever fate paired them with. If the prurient intent is replaced with agape treatment, and the noun is made plural, the lyric becomes…

My heroes and role models come in all shapes and sizes. For example, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who stood barely 5 feet tall, has always held a mighty spot in my mind. Best known as the second woman in U.S. history to be appointed a Supreme Court Justice, I admired…

I cried again as I read yet another social media post by a caregiving spouse whose husband just died from ALS. ALS kills someone every 90 minutes, and I’ve made online connections with many caregivers, which means I frequently read of somebody’s loss. I cry hardest when another mom…