Hi...
I am engaged to a sweet man whose mother was diagnosed with ALS about three or four months ago. When I first met his mother, she was happy, independent and a beautiful woman. She still is a beautiful woman, but it has been a painful experience to watch her lose the ability to move and she is quickly losing her ability to communicate.
Last January she was symptom free, but the ALS has progressed very fast. Between May and October, she went from needing a little help walking to being completely wheelchair bound and unable to move her hands/arms. We try to see her as often as we can, however we are shocked at the change in her from week to week. What things can we expect to see? Every website I have been to has been to generic and she seems to be progressing much faster than some sites say.
I am a Support Worker by trade, I have worked with individuals with brain injuries, developmental delays and so forth. I am comfortable with the care of physical needs and have been able to help recommend certain devices (ramps, transfer circles, lift belt), but am not familiar with the emotional support part. What can I do to help her deal with her ALS, and how can I support her husband (primary caregiver) and my fiance deal with "losing" their wife/mother?
Lastly, slowly over the last couple of weeks, she has begun to lose her ability to talk. What options or suggestions are there to help her communicate her wants and needs? She can barely move her arms and hands already, so communication boards seem a little out of the question. Is there something that I haven't come across in my research that will work better?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and reply to this post.
Sincerely,
Allie
I am engaged to a sweet man whose mother was diagnosed with ALS about three or four months ago. When I first met his mother, she was happy, independent and a beautiful woman. She still is a beautiful woman, but it has been a painful experience to watch her lose the ability to move and she is quickly losing her ability to communicate.
Last January she was symptom free, but the ALS has progressed very fast. Between May and October, she went from needing a little help walking to being completely wheelchair bound and unable to move her hands/arms. We try to see her as often as we can, however we are shocked at the change in her from week to week. What things can we expect to see? Every website I have been to has been to generic and she seems to be progressing much faster than some sites say.
I am a Support Worker by trade, I have worked with individuals with brain injuries, developmental delays and so forth. I am comfortable with the care of physical needs and have been able to help recommend certain devices (ramps, transfer circles, lift belt), but am not familiar with the emotional support part. What can I do to help her deal with her ALS, and how can I support her husband (primary caregiver) and my fiance deal with "losing" their wife/mother?
Lastly, slowly over the last couple of weeks, she has begun to lose her ability to talk. What options or suggestions are there to help her communicate her wants and needs? She can barely move her arms and hands already, so communication boards seem a little out of the question. Is there something that I haven't come across in my research that will work better?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and reply to this post.
Sincerely,
Allie