ALS robs you of your physical abilities by slowly stripping them away in an agonizing and unrelenting manner while at the same time challenging you mentally as well as any perceptions of what you thought life really means. It doesn't just impact those who have it but anyone who is in the person's life especially their nuclear family. It can reek total devastation physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually on anyone it touches. It can be the ultimate destroyer of lives and families and is the monster that makes your worst nightmares insignificant by comparison.
However, ALS is also an opportunity to redefine your life and realize what is truly important in it. It is not easy and you must continually battle this monster once it enters your life but it can be tamed and locked in a cage to where you can live a happy and fulfilling life. In the end if you and those around you can summon the strength to fight the beast that is ALS not only will you discover the true beauty of this life but you will assure that while the monster might cause your death it will not take your life. I know this to be true because I have been fighting this monster officially for nearly 17 years and nearly 13 of that on a ventilator.
Your friend in the fight,.
Jeff Lester ~ THE Ragingbear
5 comments:
Hello Raging Bear,
I have just been diagnosed with ALS, and your blog is very inspiring to me. The day i was diagnoses I went to a movie at IMAX Seattle Center, called: "The Wildest Dream: climbing Mt Everest" I got to climb step by step up to the top of the highest place on planet earth, without ever leaving my cahir. I could not get over how many pararels there were to the stages of climbing Mt Everest and going thru ALS: the guys were not able to eat, breathing even with oxygen was difficult, each step they took was agony. Then they reached the final base before the ascent. With out a team to help you, you could never have the support you need to climb to the summit.It's called the Necropathy, because most give up and go home because you are face to face with your own death, because no human being is meant to be at that high an altitude. But they willed it! I think of my beginning ALS as training to climb the Mountain. I have a Team,and even a personal trainer who is helping me do appropriate exercise to get me in the best shape for this climb.I used to do alot of mountain climbing, can you guess? But instead of getting all depressed about one day loosing my mobility, like you, I am instead focusing on what i can still do. I am totally ALIVE, and appreciate everything. I see your quest for the fullness of life very inspiring! And i thank you for sharing about the ventilator issue,because i had no idea what any of it meant, but now I see that to choose to live for as long as you can a full life, is this Quest. You know when i walked into my doctor's office there was a huge photo of a man standing on top of Mt Everest,with this quote under it: "We do not attempt to climb mountains to conquor the mountain, but to conquor ourselves." That a quote from the first man ever to climb it. I salute you Raging Bear, as my brother in this new family of ALS. We are not victims, we are on a journey, a quest to know something that few will ever know: who am I if I cannot speak, eat, move, or breathe as others do? The journey is inward, the way is steep, the path unfolds beneath our feet, even when we can no longer move them.
Your sister,
Sharon Strong-Heart
So true! My grandpa has ALS. I have watched not only the effects on him, but also on the whole family...the body growing weaker, while the mind is still strong. Through these last few years, I have learned so much....about caring, compassion, and living with a purpose. Thanks for your blog and insights!
YOU are heroic.
Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful for me.ilmastointi puhdistus
As a sign of gratitude for how my husband was saved from ALS, i decided to reach out to those still suffering from this.
My husband was diagnosed of ALS in 2013 and it was really tough and heartbreaking for me because he was my all and the symptoms were terrible, he always have trouble swallowing , and he always complain of Weakness of the body . we tried various therapies prescribed by our neurologist but none could cure him. I searched for a cure and i saw a testimony by someone who was cured and so many other with similar body problem, and he left the contact of the doctor who had the cure to ALS. I never imagined ALS has a natural cure not until i contacted him and he assured me my husband will be fine. I got the herbal medication he recommended and my husband used it and in one months he was fully okay even up till this moment he is so full of life. ALS has a cure and it is a herbal cure contact the doctor for more info on drwilliams098675@gmail.com on how to get the medication. Thanks for reading my testimony.
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