My recent columns about rollators, scooters and electric grocery carts brought many positive comments from readers who shared their own similar experiences. From these comments, I noted how when living with a condition such as ALS, so many of us have a warrior mindset; each day is a…
Healthcare providers may now begin researching the insurance benefits process for patients in advance of the upcoming availability of Radicava (edaravone), an approved treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to the therapy’s distributor in the U.S., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)…
This very informative video from Khan Academy explains more about the progressive, degenerative disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). MORE: 10 things to know about genetic testing for ALS. The film explains that ALS is a rare disease that affects one to two people out of every 100,000. The…
We know dealing with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) sometimes feels like an uphill battle, both for the patients and the caregivers. You feel like you’re not doing enough or as if the disease is taking up all your time and attention. To help you on your journey, we’ve gathered a few quotes we thought…
Did you know that walkers weren’t invented until the 1950s? I shudder to think how mobility-challenged people managed to get around, or didn’t, before that time. And it wasn’t until 1978, when a woman in Sweden (who had polio) added four wheels onto her walker, creating what…
Managing a chronic illness can be difficult. There are many different medications to take (often at different times), appointments to remember, symptoms to keep track of, and lots of information to absorb. Thankfully, living in a digital age means that there are numerous mobile apps that can help you manage your chronic…
Last week, I had the opportunity to listen to an exciting and encouraging webinar on “Exercise and ALS: A Discussion of Research and Practical Recommendations.” Of course, I realize that exciting and encouraging don’t always show up in the same sentence with exercise and…
A musical instrument that can be played only with brain activity may empower and rehabilitate patients with ALS and other motor diseases. Invoking brain scans known as electroencephalograms, University of Washington researchers have dubbed the musical device they created an Encephalophone. The article they wrote about it, titled “A Novel Musical…
The Orlando-area medical marijuana company Green Relief is reminding Florida residents that the state no longer requires a 90-day waiting period before a patient with a serious disease like ALS can receive treatment. Florida lifted the 90-day requirement June 24 with rules that implemented changes in the state’s medical marijuana law…
In this video from ITV’s This Morning, television presenter Charlotte Hawkins talks about her father’s journey with motor neuron disease (MND), which is also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). She highlights how lonely people can feel living with the disease, particularly when they lose the…
