caregiving

Scientists at Stony Brook University aim to create a caregiving robot assistant (CART) to help people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their caregivers with everyday tasks. Led by I.V. Ramakrishnan, PhD, a professor of computer science and associate dean at the university’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences,…

Last week, my kids and I drove from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to the Milwaukee area for spring break. I have many fond memories of living there with my husband, Todd, more than a decade ago, before he got ALS. It’s too difficult for him to travel now due to…

Even before my late husband, Jeff, was diagnosed with ALS in 2018, we approached his unusual and alarming symptoms as a team. He’d shared with me from the beginning his painless but mysterious foot drop, and together our concerns grew when he began to slur his speech. From…

Once when my daughter, Sara, was a baby, I made a mistake that led to a moment of sheer panic. After setting up her jogger stroller next to the car and strapping her in, I dug through the diaper bag that was still in the vehicle to get some…

A couple days ago, as I was dishing up our family dinner, I popped a piece of chicken in my mouth and accidentally aspirated, drawing a small piece of chicken or phlegm into my lungs. I tried to cough it up, but wasn’t getting it out. I winced and pounded…

I’ve read dozens, if not more, of the kind of column I’m about to write: first-person narratives that offer advice to one’s younger self, full of lessons learned from difficult life experiences. Before my late husband, Jeff, was diagnosed with ALS, I devoured these columns, always looking for some…

Hoo-wee! Am I glad summer is over. Not because of any changes or challenges from my ALS, but because of a series of unexpected life events. This year, my summer months felt as if I were on an airplane that hit turbulence, and the “fasten your seat belt” sign…

Last week at Walgreens, the cashier asked me if I got the senior discount. I’ve never been asked that before, but perhaps the stress of caring for my disabled husband has finally caught up to me. “How old do you need to be to be considered a senior?” I asked.

My husband, Todd, has ALS and is paralyzed, so not only do I cook all the meals, but I also feed him. His meals are often rushed or delayed because I’m running our daughter, Sara, to dance practice or wherever else a busy 16-year-old needs to go. There…

Every Memorial Day, I go with my mom, daughter, and son to the Lakeside Cemetery in Hancock, Michigan, to attend a ceremony honoring veterans. I drive separately in case I need to return home quickly to help my husband, Todd, who has ALS. The ceremony ends with the…