Going on vacation

[Ecowarrior]

My wifes Father has recently been diagnosed with ALS. He's known for over a month now. Me my wife and her brother and sister would like to take Mom & Dad to the Dominican Republic-Punta Cana. My Father in law started crying and told mom he won't go because of the financial situation. Well my wife and I decided to pay for it all.....now he says he's afraid to go because of the water and diet that he's on. Do you think it would be all that bad for him to go? Their still an emotional wreck so we haven't been pushing to hard. But we would like to go before he can't go. He only has a speech impairment and trouble swallowing now.

Another thread: Has anyone out there done the "De-Tox" program? And if so is it working? We've ordered the book "Eric is winning" but it sounds to good to be true.

 

[Al]

For God's sake get him on the plane any way you can. He has to live every day to the fullest while he can. If you are staying at a decent resort they have bottled water. The food is usually fairly decent at most 3-4 star resorts. You won't get steak every night but chicken fish and pork are readily available and not filled with all the chemicals like here Lots of rice and salad. If worse comes to worse wash everything in rum. It'll kill all the germs and then you won't care anyway. If that's not his diet well one week won't kill him.
Of Course Eric is winning. He's making a crapload of money off unproven unscientific mumbo jumbo. Washing the toxins out of your feet in a mud bath. I don't think so. I don't think I'd waste my time even if they offered it for free.
Lesson Number 1 for ALS Patients. If it sounds too good to be true you can be darn sure it is and you're gonna lose some money too. Harsh words but this a harsh disease. Go to Punta Cana. Forget about the book. You'll get more benefit from the four bottles of rum you could buy for the price of the book. Have a good time and tell us where you post the pictures for us to see. You need some fun. GO. Go.

 

[lunarruna]

Your planned trip will be some of the best therapy available--I hope you can make it work out, maybe after the initial shock of the diagnosis settles in some. We too read 'Eric is winning' at the beginning when my husband was diagnoseded, and it scared us and we started to implement some of the stuff, but eventually we realized it isnt legit. From all I can put together it is a crock of $^$#@!...there is some question as to whether Eric even has ALS for sure. We did some research and came up with a regime of supplements, mostly anti-oxidants, to help give him the best fighting chance, and he took them for about 8 months or so and then decided to stop. The thing with the supplements is you never know how it would have been if you didnt take them! But we figured it couldnt hurt and he would maybe feel healthier at the very least.
Then we took off for 2 months of sailing in Mexico (with supplements in tow)...it was the best thing we've done during this whole ALS time for us....we even returned to Mexico last December with my husband in a wheelchair and barely able to eat and we spent a month there....he did get a stomach bug that time for a few days (I did too), but he sure doesnt regret any of it.
Time is of the essence for us all, and I hope whether or not you get to the Dom Rep. you can spend some quality leisure time enjoying each other and our beautiful world. Good Luck, Beth

 

[Leslie]

take the trip!

Quick story...my dad was diagnosed with Bulbar ALS in June 2005. He had always wanted to take the family on an Alaskan cruise. About three weeks after his diagnosis I asked him if he wanted to take the cruise- he said "yeah, maybe next summer... I can get on the boat in a wheelchair". Well that didn't sound like it would be a lot of fun for him. So I booked the cruise and we were off (with 26 family and friends) 3 weeks later! He was a little apprehensive and still reeling from the diagnosis but I knew we needed to go and not wait.

Its a year later and my dad is in a wheelchair and very tired a lot of the time. Its a good thing that we went to Alaska when we did- we all had a blast. In the last year we have been to Alaska, Las Vegas (to see Jimmy Buffett), the Caribbean and Washington DC.

Don't postpone ANYTHING!

Good luck. Leslie

 

[Barbie4]

thanks

Leslie:

Thanks for the great advice. My friend was just diagnosed three months ago. I appreciate your post. so many decisions to make and so many thoughts going through my head on what to do next.
I will remember what you said.

thanks Barb