Living in the present has always been hard for me. I had such grand dreams for my future. It is hard to come to terms with the fact that I won’t go on a camel trek in the Sahara and spend the night under the most beautiful…
Living with ALS presents many challenges, and staying mentally motivated is right at the top of the list. Being proactive to prevent our emotions from spiraling downward is easier than picking ourselves up after we’ve hit rock bottom. So, I want to share the five things I…
In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), patients experience progressive muscle weakness and a decline in motor control due to the death of nerve cells in the central nervous system that control the voluntary muscles. This can result in the patient experiencing a range of symptoms, including difficulty walking, muscle…
With the U.S. midterm elections now less than two weeks away, patient advocacy groups are solidly focused on a range of hot-button issues, from the Orphan Drug Tax Credit and affordable health insurance to future funding for rare disease research. Yet “whether Democrats take over the House or Senate,…
A spinal tap, also called lumbar puncture, refers to the procedure of inserting a thin, hollow needle into the lower back area of the spine between two lumbar bones (vertebrae). Uses of a spinal tap A spinal tap can be used to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid…
Renowned physicist and author Stephen Hawking, perhaps the most famous ALS sufferer after Lou Gehrig, had his final book posthumously published on Oct. 16. In “Brief Answers to the Big Questions,” one of the answers Hawking offers is that there is…
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with the loss of motor neurons, which transmit signals from the brain to the voluntary muscles to contract. Without these, muscles begin to weaken, leading to a progressive loss of control over movement, speaking, eating, and breathing. There…
“… And up through the ground come a bubblin’ crude.” Like Jed Clampett of “Beverly Hillbillies” fame, the ALS Association in 2014 found itself in the unexpected circumstance of commanding assets beyond its wildest dreams. The national display of generosity, hope, and compassion dubbed the ice…
One of the most awful parts of my diagnosis was the loss of my career. Teaching was more than a job to me — it was part of my identity. I wish I knew then that my loss wouldn’t be as total as I had imagined. Don’t give…
The communication between motor neurons and muscles, which allow us to control our movements, is more dynamic than previously thought, a new study with zebra fish shows. Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden discovered that adult motor neurons can switch their messenger, or neurotransmitter, in response to increased…
