cfoughty
Member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2011
- Messages
- 17
- Reason
- PALS
- Diagnosis
- 06/2011
- Country
- US
- State
- Or
- City
- Springfield
Age: 53, male
Problems started with my right foot, and then up my right side to my right arm; my left side is affected also but not as much. Breathing is down 25%, and right side of my face has weakened so that my speech is slurring now.
Diagnosed, seconded, and thirded by neurologists June 2011. And confirmed yet once more by an ALS specialist neurologist two weeks ago (July 15th 2011). Symptoms noticed October 2010, but I thought it was due to other medical issues. While trying to diagnose the "balance" problems I had chest pains on April 10th, followed by open heart bypass surgery on April 15th. Then a minor heart attack on June 26th fixed by angioplasty that day; one of the bypass grafts clotted completely. Oh yeah, discovered DVT (blood clot) in my right leg July 15th. Geez.
I recovered fairly well from the open heart surgery for about six weeks, then the ALS progression took off like a rocket in June, and July. In April I was walking with a cane, now I use a walker and can only go about fifty feet. I use a craigslist purchased Permobil C300 power wheelchair most of the time.
The fatigue is my main concern as the recovery time is long. The doctors can't determine how much is due to the heart surgeries or the ALS. Fun times.
So that is my story so far.
Problems started with my right foot, and then up my right side to my right arm; my left side is affected also but not as much. Breathing is down 25%, and right side of my face has weakened so that my speech is slurring now.
Diagnosed, seconded, and thirded by neurologists June 2011. And confirmed yet once more by an ALS specialist neurologist two weeks ago (July 15th 2011). Symptoms noticed October 2010, but I thought it was due to other medical issues. While trying to diagnose the "balance" problems I had chest pains on April 10th, followed by open heart bypass surgery on April 15th. Then a minor heart attack on June 26th fixed by angioplasty that day; one of the bypass grafts clotted completely. Oh yeah, discovered DVT (blood clot) in my right leg July 15th. Geez.
I recovered fairly well from the open heart surgery for about six weeks, then the ALS progression took off like a rocket in June, and July. In April I was walking with a cane, now I use a walker and can only go about fifty feet. I use a craigslist purchased Permobil C300 power wheelchair most of the time.
The fatigue is my main concern as the recovery time is long. The doctors can't determine how much is due to the heart surgeries or the ALS. Fun times.
So that is my story so far.