Future
I live in Melbourne, Australia, and was given a confirmed diagnosis of ALS (called MND or Motor Neurone Disease in Australia) on Nov 3, 2007. Three days later I headed off with three friends on a flight to Santiago, Chile, from where we took a 14 day cruise south through the Chilean Fiords and glaciers - absolutely stunning.
Whilst walking is difficult my hands are still working well. I am a professional pianist and want to give a concert for friends while I am still able. My neurologists suggest I should do this within the next two months as there are all ready signs of problems with my hands, mainly the left one. I already have trouble operating the piano pedals.
So, along with good friends, I will find a suitable venue and in January we will have a grand concert. Various musical friends will contribute on their own instruments and I will do some two piano items with another good pianist friend. It will not be a morbid occasion in any way and we hope we can repeat it in the future. But as everyone on this forum will have heard, if you want to do something, do it now and don't put it off.
I will post future reports of the concert for all to follow. Hopefully we will make a recording which could be made available to anyone interested.