Finding moments of warmth during the winter of ALS

I recently listened to a podcast called “The Art of Manliness.” The episode was titled “The Winter Mindset — How Norwegians Love the Winter (And You Can Too).” I could relate, because I live in a northern climate that receives over 200 inches of snow each year. Winters in Michigan’s…

A muscle mass biomarker called the creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio (CCR) may indicate the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study that relied on a large-scale database shows. A lower ratio was associated with higher ALS risk, particularly in the participants between the ages of 40 and 65.

I named my column “Living Well with ALS” for many reasons. The most important one was that each word in the title had a deep meaning for me. Six years ago, when Bionews, the parent company of this website, invited me to write a patient column for…

Throughout 2024, ALS News Today brought our readers daily coverage of the latest in scientific breakthroughs, treatment advances, and clinical trial updates related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Here is a list of the top 10 most-read articles published in 2024, along with a brief description. We look…

The summer and autumn of 2018 brought uncertain and scary moments for my late husband, Jeff, and me as he battled progressing symptoms of what would later be diagnosed as ALS. His symptoms had begun with the seemingly benign experience of foot drop, which was frustrating but not painful.

My husband, Todd, was diagnosed with ALS in June 2010. That winter, Todd and I, along with our 4-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son, visited my parents in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. My dad had plowed snow into high banks, and on one large pile next to the house, he had…

People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who get a feeding tube placed after losing a lot of weight are more likely to die within a few months than those who receive feeding support before major weight loss, a study reports. Findings suggest that feeding tubes placed before substantial weight…

Due to substantial increases in the use of healthcare resources, medical costs in the U.S. for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) rise significantly as the disease progresses, going from about $31,000 per year in the early disease stage to $122,000 per year in the late stage, a study…

The HEALEY ALS platform trial, which is simultaneously testing multiple potential treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is amending its master protocol to allow a longer follow-up time and collection of blood cells for use in future research. Slight modifications to the enrollment criteria and visit schedule will…

In the field next to our home, a stand of more than 100 Fraser firs provide boughs for my wreath-making operation. It’s a good seasonal gig for me because it’s flexible. Since I take care of my husband, Todd, who is paralyzed due to ALS, I can’t work outside…