It's been four weeks since I received the news that I have ALS. When you have ALS, your brain stops speaking to the nerves that control your muscles. So your muscles don't know what to do and eventually they stop working. I first experienced this with a loss of pinching strength in my right hand. In January when Cathy and I were enjoying beautiful ski mornings at Camp Fortune, I found that I didn't have the ability to unclip the strap on my helmet ... and when we got in the car to come home, I couldn't turn the key in the ignition to start the car. This lead me to see my doctor who referred me to a specialist in neurology. Primarily because of Covid, it took months before the appointment could happen. During that waiting period, I found it was getting difficult to go for a "power walk" down our flat street at the end of the work day. When the gyms were allowed to be open, I definitely noticed the amount of weight I could lift was diminishing by a significant amount. By the end of May I had lost 35 pounds of body weight and my clothes were hanging on me! It was on Thursday May 27th that I received the diagnosis from a doctor at the Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital that he was quite certain I had ALS. The interesting thing is that there really aren't any tests to prove you have ALS. Instead, I have gone through five different tests to prove it isn't something other than ALS. My lumbar puncture / spinal tap results came back normal. An MRI on my neck/spine indicated that any degeneration I had there was typical for a 60 year old. Various blood testing looked at 29 different things in my blood and every reading was in the "normal" range. I've been for three 6-hour IV Immune Globulin treatments to see if it might cure some other disease, but it doesn't appear to be making a difference. Everything seems to be pointing back to ALS.
Hard news to absorb. Not just for me, but for Cathy, and Hannah and Deagan and Connor and Brianne and my brothers and sisters too. Every day I spend several hours telling clients at work, and friends and neighbours and people I volunteer with in various organizations and ministries. It can be tough...
And through it all, I'm trying to figure out what God's plan is for my remaining days on this planet -- whether that be two months, or three years, or through a healing miracle another 30 years! Some times God's will remains a mystery and we don't find out until years later what He was up to. I'm not saying that God gave me this disease. God would never will sickness on us. He loves us! He created us in His image to enjoy this amazing earth that He created and he wants us to mutually benefit from the fellowship with friends, family, neighbours and co-workers that we interact with each day. I am relying on my faith in God to get me through this illness. I am asking God to remove any fear that exists in my soul and to remind me each day to be thankful for the good things that I've been blessed with in that moment.
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" I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
I am a CALS. My husband is PALS. It was hard and I cry daily but not in front of him unless we cry together. He couldn’t find anything to give him happiness or hope. We have been focusing on our faith. He was only losing his voice before we made the decision to try different medications, which significantly enhanced his condition. He received the ALS/MND treatment for his ALS from uinehealthcentre.com approximately four months ago; since then, he has stopped using a feeding tube, speech is getting better by the day, sleeps well, works out frequently, and has become very active.
Last year, my 68-year-old partner was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease also known as ALS. Speaking and swallowing were two of his challenges. His collapse was swift and catastrophic, and neither the riluzole nor the medical staff did much to aid him. He would not have survived if our primary care physician hadn't given him attentive care and attention, as the hospital center didn't provide any psychological support. His fall was abrupt and catastrophic. His hands and legs gave way to weakness in his arms. This year our family physician suggested using vinehealthcentre. com ALS/MND treatment, which my husband has been receiving for a few months now. I'm delighted to say that the treatment greatly reduced and reversed his symptoms…
My first ALS symptom occurred in 2016, but was diagnosed in 2018. I had severe symptoms ranging from shortness of breath, balance problems, couldn't walk without a walker or a power chair, i had difficulty swallowing and fatigue. I was given medications which helped but only for a short burst of time, then I decided to try alternative measures and began on ALS Formula treatment from Aknni herbs centre, It has made a tremendous difference for me (Visit ww w. aknniherbscentre.c om). I had improved walking balance, increased appetite, muscle strength, improved eyesight and others.
Hi Garth
Just got this devastating news, both of your blogs are beautiful, your faith, fortitude and strength are incredible. God bless you, Cathy and your children and extended family.
Suzanne and I were shocked, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
John DiLabio
May God bless your journey.
Thinking of you during this path and knowing that some days will be dark and many will be happy.