FayRay
New member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2017
- Messages
- 3
- Reason
- CALS
- Country
- CA
- State
- British Columbia (BC)
- City
- Vancouver
Dear fellow caregivers, my first online support group post. My spouse was diagnosed with ALS in 2015. We started to notice fasiculations in his upper arms and shoulders. Then he had a couple random falls when walking out in the community. We went to hospital for he did not have a GP. They then sent him to specialist, then ALS clinic where they basically said he has three of the four signature symptoms of ALS.
We did not lose hope, we pushed for 2nd opinion from neuro surgeon, he said he could repair my husbands old cervical spinal injury from car accident back in 1999 which he thought might be causing the worsening nerve pain and fasiculations. ALS clinic staff stated the my spouse could have the surgery, but he will still have ALS. April 2016, he had surgery, been in recovery ever since.
Had prodisc c 2 level vertebral replacement through front of neck. Massive swollowing problems since, not really improving but getting worse. He speech is getting worse too. He cant eat or swallow properly. Hes lost so much weight, he has lost so much muscle mass, hands getting weaker, he has developed a chronic cough and recently developed bronchitis and on antibiotics which he cant swallow properly.
He is losing hope, tonight he was so frustrated for he could not swallow his meds with milk. He got angry, grabbed a kitchen knife and said he wanted to die, repeated it over and over. I feel so helpless. He is suffering and scared and so angry.
I said I would call 911, but he got more upset. Dont know what else to do, have him hospitalized against his wishes or leave him to run off and kill himself for he does not want to go on like this anymore. I need some guidance and support for nobody in my life right now seems to care what is happening to him or us. Very depressed and powerless right now.
We did not lose hope, we pushed for 2nd opinion from neuro surgeon, he said he could repair my husbands old cervical spinal injury from car accident back in 1999 which he thought might be causing the worsening nerve pain and fasiculations. ALS clinic staff stated the my spouse could have the surgery, but he will still have ALS. April 2016, he had surgery, been in recovery ever since.
Had prodisc c 2 level vertebral replacement through front of neck. Massive swollowing problems since, not really improving but getting worse. He speech is getting worse too. He cant eat or swallow properly. Hes lost so much weight, he has lost so much muscle mass, hands getting weaker, he has developed a chronic cough and recently developed bronchitis and on antibiotics which he cant swallow properly.
He is losing hope, tonight he was so frustrated for he could not swallow his meds with milk. He got angry, grabbed a kitchen knife and said he wanted to die, repeated it over and over. I feel so helpless. He is suffering and scared and so angry.
I said I would call 911, but he got more upset. Dont know what else to do, have him hospitalized against his wishes or leave him to run off and kill himself for he does not want to go on like this anymore. I need some guidance and support for nobody in my life right now seems to care what is happening to him or us. Very depressed and powerless right now.
Last edited by a moderator: