Imagine
Imagine...
feeling invincible, at the prime of your life. Then...
Imagine...
you start to notice subtle changes in your speech.
Imagine...
noticing unusual weakness in your left arm.
Imagine...
researching your symptoms on the internet, and ALS pops up in the top 10 on google.
Imagine...
the shock as the neurologist suggests that you most likely have ALS because all other diseases that mimic these symptoms have been ruled out.
Imagine...
the neurologist explaining that ALS is a fatal neurological disease where the nerves that send impulses from your brain and spinal cord to your muscles for speaking, swallowing, and moving your arms, legs and diaphragm stop functioning.
Imagine...
knowing that in 2-5 years you will most likely become paralyzed and die.
Imagine...
thinking that the doctors have it all wrong... and then you begin to feel muscle twitching in your arms, tongue, legs, and face.
Imagine...
a disease where no treatments are available to slow or stop the process.
Imagine...
the sadness and pain in your heart as you tell your children you might not see them graduate, marry or have children.
Imagine...
knowing that eventually all your communication will be limited to simple words and possibly the blink of your eyes.
Imagine...
choking on pizza and realizing your pizza days are over.
Imagine...
liquid formula for breakfast, lunch and supper.
Imagine...
your muscles for swallowing become so weak that swallowing your saliva is a challenge and sleeping on your back is no longer an option.
Imagine...
your neck muscles so weak that your head feels like a bobble head and every bump in the road, sidewalk or grass hurts.
Imagine...
feeling so weak you need help rolling over in bed.
Imagine...
your legs so weak you lose your balance and fall, giving yourself whiplash and a concussion… you are now completely dependent on someone else to get around.
Imagine...
realizing you can no longer turn on the key to your car, get your wallet out of your purse, do up the zipper on your pants, tie your shoes, hold a pen, sign your signature, pull the covers over your shoulders, or kill the mosquitos that land on your arm.
Imagine...
packing up your career into a small box, and closing the door on your dream.
Imagine...
trying to reinvent yourself with an active brain and limited moving body parts.
Imagine...
trying to stay positive and hopeful, when each day you wake up weaker than the day before.
Imagine...
not having the estimated $100,000 in savings to make your home wheelchair accessible.
Imagine...
not having the $50,000 in savings to purchase a wheelchair accessible van so you can get out to watch your children swim, play hockey, basketball and soccer.
Imagine... living with ALS
In Memory Of Mark Stuart Gerrish --
June 1, 1961 - May 16, 2008
Adapted from Mark S. Gerrish’s words
(to see the original, click HERE).
