GKGK,
You mention in the first post within this thread that you first visited the forum back in 2005. BUT your user name seemed familiar to me, and as I first joined the forum in 2008, so was somewhat puzzled because of the disparity in dates.
I just was searching through the members list, and found a GGKK who had about 60 posts, give or take, starting in late January of 2009. If you are indeed the same person, (your hometown location listed is the same) you would do well to go back and read the responses given in 2009. A lot of well meaning people expended their time and energy in an attempt to help. Also notice that eventually people stopped responding to GGKK'sposts...
Even better, take the time to really study a beloved member's many posts. He has since left us, but he was diagnosed with ALS in November of 2005, eleven months after you first stumbled across the forums. He completely exemplified how to live without giving in to the ALS monster. He traveled, he married the love of his live and had a daughter who was the absolute apple of his eye.
A few months before he died, I noticed he'd not been online, and I sent him a private message asking if he was okay.
He responded that yes, he was fine, that he and his wife and daughter had been away on vacation traveling, and he had not spoken about it publicly because he didn't want those less fortunate (in regards to their progression) to feel like he was flaunting his good health and slow progression.
Not all that long after I received this response from him, his wife posted the following message:
Thank you so so much everyone for your tributes and thoughts about Richard, and for posting his obituary here.
He passed away from what the coroner believes to be a heart attack while napping. The way he died speaks to how he lived his life. He always said he wasn't going to worry about the fact that he had ALS because he could get hit by a truck or die of a heart attack at any time.
You were all such a big part of his life and he was so dedicated to you. Even while on vacation he would still moderate the forum and post his thoughts here.
xoxo Richelle and Amelia.
So, this man, who was such a dedicated forum member and endeared himself to many here, was a loving husband and father, and also a partner in a successful law firm, refused to live in fear of what ALS could rob from him, and in fact was taken by a heart attack rather than his disease.
His user name was rcharlton, we often refer to him as just "Richard", and I think that even after his passing, he can help you. Think about his philosophy, reflect upon how he lived. Go to his profile page and read the captions under the many pictures in his photo albums. Read his responses to others.
I hope you can apply this to your life, and help you relax as far as your fears of ALS. I also would strongly encourage you to refrain from the ongoing posting (that is getting you nowhere) until after you have been seen by your doctor. Please do let us know what the doctor says about your neck and wrist, and the next steps he or she suggests for you to follow.
