Some of you may remember me posting in the fall about my mom having speech problems. She had some doctors appointments at the best hospital in the state in December, but I didn't hear any updates over the holidays.
Thursday night she dropped the bomb on us. They have diagnosed her with ALS. A progressive, degenerative neurological disorder, for which there is very little treatment and no cure. They gave her 2-5 years.
It means that your nerves quit working, so you can't move your muscles, eventually you can't breathe. When it affects your tongue/throat, speech and swallowing is extremely difficult. There is a major risk of choking, even on your own saliva, and malnutrition/starving. She has already lost weight.
This is worse than I ever expected. At least if she had cancer there would be treatment options. This is just depressing no matter how you look at it.
Within the next year I expect her to need care, or at least "watching." I expect that I will probably have to move back in with her. The good news is that they have 10 acres so all my animals can move with me, the bad news is that none of it is fenced. This will be problematic for hubby's job situation, so I have no idea how that will play out. My 22 year old sister is making major changes in the plans she had made. She was applying with an international accounting firm, now she's planning to stay VERY local, and planning to up her wedding date considerably. It is possible that we could be planning mom's funeral before my 16 year old sister graduates high school, but I sure hope not!!!
I seriously doubt mom will get better, but maybe you could pray that she won't get worse. If you would pray for all of us as we go through this!
Mom has been crying all day, and the rest of us sisters aren't much better off.
Thursday night she dropped the bomb on us. They have diagnosed her with ALS. A progressive, degenerative neurological disorder, for which there is very little treatment and no cure. They gave her 2-5 years.
It means that your nerves quit working, so you can't move your muscles, eventually you can't breathe. When it affects your tongue/throat, speech and swallowing is extremely difficult. There is a major risk of choking, even on your own saliva, and malnutrition/starving. She has already lost weight.
This is worse than I ever expected. At least if she had cancer there would be treatment options. This is just depressing no matter how you look at it.
Within the next year I expect her to need care, or at least "watching." I expect that I will probably have to move back in with her. The good news is that they have 10 acres so all my animals can move with me, the bad news is that none of it is fenced. This will be problematic for hubby's job situation, so I have no idea how that will play out. My 22 year old sister is making major changes in the plans she had made. She was applying with an international accounting firm, now she's planning to stay VERY local, and planning to up her wedding date considerably. It is possible that we could be planning mom's funeral before my 16 year old sister graduates high school, but I sure hope not!!!
I seriously doubt mom will get better, but maybe you could pray that she won't get worse. If you would pray for all of us as we go through this!
