For those of us living with ALS, every day can have a stressful event. The key, I believe, is to get through the event and, if possible, remember it later with humor. Even in a parking lot. “Let’s circle the parking lot one more time,” my agitated husband said.
A couple of weeks ago, I lined up a daytime caregiver for my husband, Todd, so I could take a day trip with our 14-year-old son to ski and snowboard. During the two-hour car ride, he introduced me to the “Bellied Up” podcast, a call-in advice show with comedians…
One of my duties as a moderator for the ALS News Today Forums is to encourage new members to discuss their worries about living with the disease. I often find myself repeating the same advice over and over: that they be open to changing their perspective, that they…
Living with ALS can be an emotional roller coaster. However, I’ve found that when I round the bend and find humor in a situation, I’m sure to have a smooth ride ahead. Let me share my latest experience with you. Before ALS, my life was filled with moving.
When I took my son to the doctor for his sports physical, the nurse went through a checklist of health history questions. The exchange took an unexpected turn when she asked about my husband’s health. “Is Dad healthy?” “No. He has ALS.” The nurse glanced at her computer screen.
Recently, a journalist and author from New York contacted me about a book he’s working on. His theme is the role that humor plays in helping people cope with a wide variety of diseases, disabilities, and physical conditions. He wanted to include my ALS-related experiences, and I gladly agreed to…
“Hurry! I’m having a pee-flex,” my husband said as I put on disposable gloves. I grabbed the urinal and held it for him. Todd invented the word pee-flex to describe the sudden urge to go once he drives his wheelchair into the bathroom. He is paralyzed from ALS, so…
I realize the words “ALS” and “humor” don’t always hang out together, but in my life they often do. I’ve been living with ALS since 2010, and over the years, I’ve learned not to let a day go by without finding humor in the absurdity of it all. Most of…
One of the first symptoms of ALS I experienced was a sudden weakness in my legs and feet. This meant that without warning, whenever I walked I felt as if I had stepped in a hole, and more than once I ended up taking a nasty fall. Even when I…
ALS is certainly a serious condition, and there is nothing funny about it, but many funny moments can happen. For my caregiver husband and me, holding on to a sense of humor is such an important part of our relationship that we can’t imagine letting a day go by without…
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