[Utahna]

Mick. I am with you

[Utahna]

Y’all ain’t goin believe this shit….

[Utahna]

I’ve been taking riluzole since I was diagnosed. And I have been told I have slow progressing ALS. I started with relyvrio and had some weird side effects so I quit taking it I have not tried the radicava stuff.

[Utahna]

This has been a very hard disease to understand. It hit me out of the blue and the shock and sadness set in.  I was diagnosed August 2022 so it’s been a year. I have AFO’s braces to help me walk and I have bilateral foot drop so mine started in my feet. I never told anyone but my administrator because I am a teacher and still teaching   Elementary kids want to race me, middle school kids try to mow me down and high school kids always open the door for me. I’m just now able to talk about it without crying or feeling sorry for myself. But some moments of the day, emotions take over. But this is my disease and I will decide who and when I tell someone..

[Utahna]

no, but I’d like to.  I’d like to live a little bit longer and enjoy some sort of retirement

[Utahna]

my first symptoms were drop foot and loss of balance.  Then came bilateral drop foot, then weakness in my feet and hips.  I wear orthotics and I use the stiks instead of a walker or cane. I’m still working full time, I am a teacher.  I think if i quit, I would curl up and die, I would have nothing to live for.  Yes I have a family, but I have been teaching special ed and hearing impaired children for 23 years.. I’m hoping to teach a little bit longer, but I will not go to school in a wheel chair.  I have a little bit of dignity left, just a little