In pursuit of hope
New member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2012
- Messages
- 6
- Reason
- Loved one DX
- Diagnosis
- 11/2011
- Country
- US
- State
- Texas
- City
- Dallas
Hi all, I am new to posting on this forum but have read these threads frequently over the last year and have derived a great amount of strength and inspiration from all of you. My father was diagnosed with ALS last year. He is the most wonderful and supportive father and my absolute favorite person in the whole world and my whole life changed on that day. I have moved back to the city where I was raised after leaving 13 years ago following my high school graduation. We have a very close and supportive family which is a blessing and wonderful but also makes one person's pain, all of our pain. My father has had a very hard time dealing with this. He is a physician (though not a neurologist) and he knew what it was before we even went to the first apppointment. This perspective has been very difficult. Knowing what is coming, imagining the worst case scenario always. This has been crippling. He was always very athletic, a runner, hiker and adventurer. He had a true love of life and instilled this in all of us. But now he is so weak and tired all the time and his balance is so poor, it is an effort to just get to the kitchen. He has been getting a little worse over the last month and his spirit is breaking further and I just don't know how to help him. I go to see him almost every day after work and spend weekends with him and I can tell this makes a difference. Although he enjoys the company of others he does not like people outside of the family coming over because he does not want them to see him this way. I give him all the love I have in me but I just want to do more and I don't know what to do. I don't really know what I am asking for here but I am just totally lost and don't know what to do. All of the education I have recieved in my life has not prepared me for this.