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…
If you are living with ALS, here’s a question for you: When was the last time you spent the time to learn something? It can’t include watching a TV newscast or scanning the news feed on your mobile device. I mean quality time spent with books or…
Half a year has gone by since disgraced pharma executive Martin Shkreli was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for securities and wire fraud while heading San Diego-based Retrophin. As founder and CEO of another company (then known as Turing Pharmaceuticals), in late 2015 Shkreli bought the rights…
The 2012 comedy “Ted” contained a joke made at the expense of the movie’s villain. The joke, as expressed by a teddy bear come to life, was: “From one man to another, I hope you get Lou Gehrig’s disease.” This alarmed some ALS patients and advocates, who…
For those of us living with ALS, every day can have a stressful event. The key, I believe, is to move through the event and, if possible, remember it with humor. I recently came across a quote from the movie “Slow West” that reminds me that…
