~ Walter Anderson
I know everyone gets so busy around the holidays but I am sending out another plea, take a minute and please call the number in the link below. It could make a huge difference in so many lives. On a personal note, this could mean the difference between me completely losing the use of my arms and legs and staying functional with what little I have left. Many have asked me if there’s anything they can do for me, how about a couple minutes of your time…
Please share with your friends.
In the words of my dear friend Dolly Boehm Malinski, who is now an angel with God, “Love to all”
Ailsa has such a positive attitude, I see myself in so much of her story. I have a goal to follow her example, accepting the hand life has dealt me with grace and dignity.
It is pretty easy to get in myself into a pitty pot as I am faced with new and different challenges daily. One thing about ALS, every day you wake up is a surprise, some days good, some bad. I try to find one blessing in every day and as I look around me it’s not hard.
I also miss the simple things like cleaning, cooking, driving, singing and dancing. I especially miss being able to get up and go anywhere, anytime I want, saddened as it further adds to the loss of my independence. I try to focus on the things I can do, sharing stories like Ailsa’s and never losing hope. I too am hanging on, waiting for that elusive cure.
Thanks Ailsa, for your inspiration.
http://alsworldwide.org/perspectives/post/never-losing-hope
“When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.”
~Patrick Overton
“Too busy to be afraid”… Those words sparked my interest, Tim has ALS. He is truly an inspiration to anyone who is challenged with an incurable disease. As the fear of the unknown haunts my every waking hour, reading stories like Tim’s gives me renewed hope. Former Titans linebacker Tim Shaw is facing life with ALS
Check him out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TimShawOfficial/?fref=ts and Twitter https://twitter.com/TShawsTruth he is one amazing individual. Even a tough football player like Tim, faced with the increasing difficulty of once simple tasks, has an unbelievably confident attitude that keeps him grounded, embracing the triumphs of even his smallest accomplishments. I want to be like Tim.
Give a Girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world. ~Marilyn Monroe
This story is an example of just one of the many struggles that I can relate to… I love shoes! I now have many pairs I cannot wear anymore because they are heels or simply just too hard to get on and off my feet because of the weakness in my hands.
Like Tonni and Wes, I also went on a trek for cute shoes that weren’t high heels, flip flops or slides, and have found there are some really adorable footwear choices out there that I can wear without fear of falling or getting stressed out because they are too hard to get on. Vionic has some really cute strappy sandals and Skechers Go Walks come in fun colors and styles, both are super comfy. So far, I have bought Vionic Rest Paros Strappy sandals, Skechers GOwalk 3 Pulse Women’s Walking and Performance Women’s GOwalk 3-Digitize Walking (shown above). Fighting the constant battle of tying shoe laces also sent me on another venture to the find any easy alternative. I tried a pair of the elastic no tie shoe laces but my hands are too weak to hold the shoe open and get it on my foot. Zubits Magnetic Shoe Closures (also shown above) were the perfect answer to that fight. I got a set for each pair of my shoes with laces from Amazon and absolutely love them.
The installation can seem a bit confusing, here is a great how-to video:
Problem: Opening jars and bottles (especially small water bottles) can be a daunting task, not only for people suffering from motor neuron disease, but arthritis and just plain getting old! My hands just don’t have the strength and it can get pretty frustrating. I love to cook but there is not always someone here to help if I need it, and let’s face it, I already use my teeth for more things than I probably should! Solution: The EZ Off Jar Opener. It gives me independence and it will still work in a power outage! Pretty simple. It mounts under a cabinet, can’t even see it. You can use both hands and it works with very little effort. If you can turn the jar, it WILL open. Hey, it even opens fingernail polish!
