I don’t know about you, my ALS brothers and sisters, but there have been times during my ALS sojourn when I have needed a real laugh to chase the blues away … But at some point, when speaking and breathing became more of an effort, I lost the ability to laugh. I, who had spent . . .
Once you open up to the idea that there just might still be some good in the world, and in your life, you begin to see it. It may seem small and insignificant, at least at first. But if it’s good, notice it. Acknowledge it. Give thanks for it. ~Patty Blake We’d like to take . . .
Can we talk? Well, no, actually, we can’t talk… because I can’t really talk. Oh, I can make sounds, but those sounds seldom form themselves into recognizable words. Only my husband and son have the patience to try to understand me, and they’re pretty darn good at it! My nurses try to guess, but . . .
It’s Christmas baking day today. Actually, the preparations started a few days ago, with a shopping trip, of course. Then, last night, Katherine helped me make a batch of Shortbread Cookies using my grandmother’s recipe. We also made a batch of pastry dough for the mince tarts and butter tarts planned for today. So now . . .
Dear Grandpa, I have been thinking about you a lot lately. I miss you. You died a few months before my 20th birthday. Two-thirds of my life here on earth has been without you. So many of the people I love never knew you. Actually, though, I only knew the last 20 years of your . . .
My ALS progression may be slow and the changes I notice may be quite small at this time, but they’re there. Subtle or not, I am aware of the changes. A small change that makes me sad is losing what remained of my speech. I keep trying. But it’s really gone. I miss it most . . .
The other day a friend complimented me on my positive attitude and asked how I managed to “find the funny” in everyday things. My reply? “I don’t go looking for it — it finds me! To help you understand, I’ll share a couple of stories from some of my past medical visits to the ALS Clinic. . . .
