James Clingman lives in Easley, South Carolina, with his wife Sylvia. He developed ALS symptoms in 2009 and was diagnosed on August 23, 2013. Although he is in the later stages of this disease, his goal remains to expand awareness and knowledge of all facets of ALS as well as other lesser-known diseases. He wants to encourage everyone to acknowledge the blessing of life no matter what hand they are dealt. He is also a former adjunct professor, author, business consultant and has a daughter, Kiah, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
ALS was first identified in 1869, though its symptoms were documented in medical literature as early as 1824. It’s intriguing that the sequence of the disease today is often similar, with initial symptoms followed by…
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Among the various problems of life that families experience is the occasional exclusion of children from conversations. I remember hearing the older members of our family saying, “This is grown-folks’ business.” They’d tell us children to go outside…
While living with ALS, I have days when I’m low in spirit and need something to lift me out of the doldrums. When this happens, two things help me: a visit from my daughter and some great…
On Feb. 17, a party was thrown in Atlanta, Georgia, in celebration of ALS patients and their caregivers. It was a chance to promote awareness about the ongoing needs of the victims of this treacherous and unrelenting…
After a great deal of introspection, I decided for this month’s column to reflect on my life as it stands now. I wanted to write about it without being too ominous and dreadful, but I don’t think that’s possible.
Accidents can and will happen. Do you have a plan for when they do? The two accidents I’ve feared the most since being debilitated with ALS are getting scalded in the shower and smashing my toes against the…
I must use the privilege of this column to acknowledge the passing of one of our ALS heroes, Ady Barkan. A young, stalwart, and dedicated husband and father, Ady spent the final few years of his life…
Have you ever really thought about time? What it is and what it means? When you take a deep dive into time, you’ll find there are two dominant stages: memories of the past and aspirations for the future.
Back in middle school, I was taught that sound comprises three components: something to make the sound, something to transport the sound, and something to receive the sound. It’s been a while since I learned that, but I assume…
Remember “MacGyver“? In this TV series from the 1980s and early ’90s, the titular secret agent always found himself in an untenable predicament and used whatever was around him to devise a solution. Whether it was a…
As I’ve pointed out several times in this column, public awareness of ALS is vital to obtaining and sustaining progress in finding solutions to the myriad issues associated with the disease. Have you ever heard of…
Have you ever tried to assemble something or repair something only to finally give up and seek help? Such episodes were among my greatest frustrations before I was stricken with ALS. In retrospect, they feel like mere child’s…
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