Imagine being stuck in a body that cannot move, or even manage to form words. People suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease) deal with these debilitating symptoms every day, until they eventually pass away. ALS is a fairly common disease, with more than 12,000 people in the United States experiencing it and 15 people being diagnosed with it every day (“Fact Sheet,” 2014). Researchers are desperately searching for a cure, or even an effective treatment for the disease, since there is currently only one. ALS is difficult to diagnose because of its similarities to other neuro muscular diseases, making it hard to discover treatments as well. ALS is responsible for two deaths per 100,000 people, exposing the need for a cure (“Research,” 2014).
Background
ALS is a …show more content…
I was only eight years old, and I did not really understand what was happening to him. I remember asking my mom what was wrong with him, and she told me he was sick. At the time, it seemed like he suddenly got really sick before he died, but looking back, I realize that he must have been sick for a while before he passed away. I asked my parents about it, and they said that his immediate family had kept it to themselves for some time, trying to believe it was something else. They did a lot of research on the disease to confirm to themselves that it really was ALS. I did not really see him often when he was sick. He had limb onset ALS, and I do remember him eventually being confined to a wheelchair. I also remember him trying to speak occasionally, and that it did not sound like he was actually saying words. He died the day before my sister’s wedding from respiratory failure, going peacefully in his sleep. I recall going to his funeral, still not comprehending why he had died. This year will mark ten years since his
Background
ALS is a …show more content…
I was only eight years old, and I did not really understand what was happening to him. I remember asking my mom what was wrong with him, and she told me he was sick. At the time, it seemed like he suddenly got really sick before he died, but looking back, I realize that he must have been sick for a while before he passed away. I asked my parents about it, and they said that his immediate family had kept it to themselves for some time, trying to believe it was something else. They did a lot of research on the disease to confirm to themselves that it really was ALS. I did not really see him often when he was sick. He had limb onset ALS, and I do remember him eventually being confined to a wheelchair. I also remember him trying to speak occasionally, and that it did not sound like he was actually saying words. He died the day before my sister’s wedding from respiratory failure, going peacefully in his sleep. I recall going to his funeral, still not comprehending why he had died. This year will mark ten years since his