micmon

Hi I am micmon. I am 65 and live in a small town in Texas. I was recently diagnosed with ALS. I first saw a doctor for slurred speech in November, 2020. The first diagnosis was acid reflux. (?) The second was carpal tunnel syndrome. (??)

After multiple other doctors, multiple tests: MRI/CT scans/swallow tests/EMG/speech therapy and a DaTscan, I stumbled on a local neurologist who took all of two visits to suspect it was MND.

By now my right arm was becoming weak and I stumbled occasionally. He was wise enough to know what he didn’t know and referred me to a specialist in Dallas at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT S).

Between the time of the preliminary diagnosis and the first visit at UTS, my spouse and I did a ton of research on MND, and thus were not shocked when the ALS diagnosis was confirmed in April 2021.

I know this is a terrible change in our lives, but I am in total acceptance of it. That is unless I wake up sobbing, fall apart trying to talk to a loved one, or find myself howling in my spouse’s arms.

The most hateful thing about this disease, for me, is that it began with my voice. I can still speak, but it largely unintelligible to most people. Interacting with others is my greatest joy in life and most of that is verbal.

I look forward to being part of this forum – I’ve never belonged to any kind of forum before. I look forward to learning not so much about the disease as how to deal/live with it.