salkel
New member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2009
- Messages
- 2
- Reason
- Loved one DX
- Country
- US
- State
- mo
- City
- poplar bluff
Hi, I am new to this site. My mother in law was just diagnosed with ALS. She believed for the longest time that she had bereyes sydrome? Not for sure how to spell it, but she thought that she was actually sick due to a flu shot that she had received. All of her symptoms started shortly after receiving the shot. She started tripping, off balanced, etc. She was just diagnosed yesterday that she has ALS, although she has been living with this terrible disease for over two years now. My question is what are the specifics on the stages of this disease? She is now beginning to slur her speech, coughs a lot, and she lives all alone and I do not get to see her often so I really worry about her. She lives in another town, and I do not go over there often but I talk to her every night and I can tell just how bad it is getting by listening to her voice. I have her 9 year old grandson that she absolutley adores. She used to be so active, always playing with him, she would devote every weekend to him and now they never see each other. He is at the age where he just knows that Grandma is sick and he will not touch her, will not use the bathroom at her house etc. It's so hard to explain to him that he can not catch this, and then it's hard to see the pain in her eyes when he won't touch her. I am knew to all of this, I am really wondering what to say to him, what to say to her to keep her spirits up. Should I take him around her more often before it gets too bad? I am worried if I have already waited too long? I know that she can not walk, her speech is very slurred, and she can not dress herself, and she is coughing all of the time. I guess I am wondering I know what the onset symptoms are, but what are the later stages of symptoms? What do I need to do if she is living alone? What kind of financial help is out there for her? She has had to quit her job that she loved, which ironically was taking care of elderly and disabled children. Now she needs someone for her and she has no income. Like I said I have a lot of questions, I am sure I will visit this site often. Thank you for any feedback, and my heart go's out to everyone who has gone through this!
