Joyful Sorrow – a Column by Kristin Neva

October 24, 2019October 22, 2019

We’ve Learned to Compartmentalize Family Life While Living with ALS

Columns, Joyful Sorrow - a Column by Kristin Neva

A few months after Todd’s diagnosis, our ALS clinic put me in touch with a woman who was further down the road that I had just begun. Similar to ... Read more

October 17, 2019October 15, 2019

Just Breathe: Dealing with Chronic Stress

Columns, Joyful Sorrow - a Column by Kristin Neva

ALS is now affecting my husband’s breathing. On occasion, Todd’s lungs fill with fluid and he needs me to give him an assisted cough, just as his physical therapist ... Read more

October 10, 2019November 13, 2019

Coming Unstuck and Reaching Beyond Ourselves

Columns, Joyful Sorrow - a Column by Kristin Neva

Before my husband, Todd, got ALS, we had minor problems, but we were full of hope. We had a small baby so I wasn’t getting much sleep, but I ... Read more

October 3, 2019October 1, 2019

Navigating ALS with Children in Tow

Columns, Joyful Sorrow - a Column by Kristin Neva

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 ... Read more

September 26, 2019October 2, 2019

Accepting Help Is Hard, but Caregivers Need Respite

Columns, Joyful Sorrow - a Column by Kristin Neva

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 ... Read more

September 19, 2019September 25, 2019

The Art of Choosing a Family-friendly Movie

Columns, Joyful Sorrow - a Column by Kristin Neva

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 ... Read more

September 12, 2019September 18, 2019

The Clock Starts Ticking After an ALS Diagnosis

Columns, Joyful Sorrow - a Column by Kristin Neva

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 ... Read more

September 5, 2019September 11, 2019

Desperate Places Don’t Always Come with a Choice

Columns, Joyful Sorrow - a Column by Kristin Neva

After we got married, Todd and I bought an adorable, craftsman-style bungalow in a Milwaukee neighborhood. I believed living in the city would give me a better understanding of ... Read more

August 29, 2019September 5, 2019

Suffering Connects Us All

Columns, Joyful Sorrow - a Column by Kristin Neva

“So tell us your story,” we often ask people who come to help with Todd’s care. Those who show particularly deep compassion tend to have their own story of ... Read more

August 22, 2019August 26, 2019

We Have No Guarantees with ALS, but We Do Have Choices

Columns, Joyful Sorrow - a Column by Kristin Neva

“What? But there’s a guarantee on your website,” I told the customer service representative for the herbal company. I had requested a refund of a digestive supplement because it ... Read more