In last week’s column, I wrote about a gala banquet that I recently attended. As the event approached, I worried about what I would wear and how others would react to my mobility scooter. But my greatest concern was that I was one of the evening’s honorees. The…
My heart ached for my kids after my husband, Todd, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Isaac was 9 months old and Sara was 4. How would ALS affect them? I had no idea how to help them navigate our future. A year after Todd was diagnosed, I…
Shortly after emerging from the stupor that culminated in my ALS diagnosis, I was consumed with a zeal to learn all that I could about the millstone dangling heavily from my neck. Toward that end, I read everything I could lay my eyes upon, though some material was…
Like many who live with ALS symptoms, I rely on a rollator. But when out and about and covering longer distances, I use a mobility scooter. My scooter is perfect, and I feel comfortable and confident going almost anywhere with it. Recently I crossed that almost off the list.
Being a caregiver for a spouse with ALS is a heavy load, and at some point it becomes too much for one person to handle. When ALS took from my husband the ability to walk, I helped him move from his wheelchair to the bed. He would sleep most of…
A week ago last Sunday, I spent a portion of the day, as I often do, going to church. Well, not quite “going.” Owing to the challenges of readying and transporting me, I participate in worship via a livestream of the service. The…
If you’ve ever used the drive-thru lane to order a meal, then you know that the experience can range from easy to downright annoying. My husband and I have suffered through fast-talking order-takers with squeaky voices, but when we encounter the dreaded malfunctioning speaker, we know that we’re in for…
Spoiler alert: This column describes plotlines from the film “The Art of Racing in the Rain.” Friday movie night has become our favorite pastime, as it’s something we can still enjoy as a family despite my husband Todd’s paralysis. We typically find a funny movie on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
My husband and I recently took a short trip out of town. On the morning we left, it dawned on me that I was going to have one of those days. You know the kind. A day when one thing after another gets in the way. The culminating moment happened…
After my husband, Todd, was diagnosed with ALS, we went on what we thought would be our last family vacation. We flew into Los Angeles, visited friends, and toured some sites. I took a lot of pictures — our 5-year-old daughter meeting princesses at Disneyland, our…
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