CNN's Suzanne Malveaux's report on her mother with ALS

[canmark]

Those with ALS redefine what it means to be alive
Those with ALS redefine what it means to be alive - CNN.com

 

[Nighthawk]

@canmark:

Thanks so much for sharing this with the rest of us.
It's a very moving story of courage and will to live.

I liked these paragraphs specially:

When she began choking on her food, losing her ability to swallow, she got a feeding tube.
When she lost her ability to walk, she got a motorized wheelchair.
When she could no longer speak, she picked up a word board and started spelling out her conversations, still telling my father what to do.
And finally when she lost her ability to breathe, she got a tracheotomy and ventilator to stay alive.

I always say there is life after diagnosis if you are willing to fight for it.


Thank you from the heart for sharing this story.

 

[JTorm]

it's amazing Carlos aint it?

For me, as i love eating and a lot protein shakes and everything... i dont doubt i will be happy to get a PEG..

I used to weight 160lb of all muscle.. ripped at my best.. now i'm 136lb as my throat problems... I need protein shakes.. i would like being a fatman..if cannot become muscular as before...

Speaking problems for me are not that scary.. i believe... i work in a place where i pass 9 hours withouth talking with anybody just dealing with my mind (which sometimes mades me thing that als is a result of brain chages... when you are not using what part of your body.. anothr part becomes more effective...

I do afraid of track .. don't know how it feels to have a machine breathing with you...

Anyway Great series..
Hope more and more people get to the knews and aware as much about the disease... ITS OUR TIME!

 

[adozi]

I feel the same way, Carlos. I have a PEG tube, a PWC, and An eye gaze computer. while I'm not looking forward to the trach and vent, I'm not afraid of it. I was Afraid of being bedridden until i found out they are portable. That is just one more thing i have to deal with soon, But my life is by no means over.