Posts by: Kristin Neva

I inspected the fish through the curved glass of a refrigerated display case. Wild-caught Lake Superior whitefish and trout — both raw and smoked — lay in metal trays. “I’d ... Read more

September 9, 2021September 9, 2021

Documenting Love to Help It Live On

ALS News Today Columns

I watched a tribute video to a husband and father who recently died from ALS. Tears filled my eyes over tender moments of a toddler kissing and hugging his dad, ... Read more

September 2, 2021September 2, 2021

When You’re Unequipped for Difficulty

ALS News Today Columns

“We were ill-prepared and unequipped for the hike,” I told my husband, Todd, after returning home. The kids and I went to see Douglass Houghton Falls in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula ... Read more

August 26, 2021August 26, 2021

Celebrating a Marriage That Has Adapted to the Various Phases of ALS

ALS News Today Columns

My husband, Todd, and I marked 18 years of marriage on Tuesday. The memory of our seventh anniversary is seared into my mind. He bought me flowers from a Mayo ... Read more

August 19, 2021August 19, 2021

I Hate the Feeling of Knowing What’s Coming

ALS News Today Columns

I pleaded. I bargained. I threatened. But it was no use. My dog would not back away from the woods behind the shed, where he had been sprayed by a ... Read more

August 12, 2021August 12, 2021

Building a Care Team for the Marathon of ALS

ALS News Today Columns

Help has come and gone over the past decade since my husband, Todd, has had ALS. When it became too difficult to travel four hours away to an ALS clinic, ... Read more

August 5, 2021August 5, 2021

When Anger Manifests as Road Rage

ALS News Today Columns, COVID-19 Columns

Driving in our small town is usually pretty chill. People let each other in and don’t cut one another off. But right now, the roads are busier than normal. It’s ... Read more

July 29, 2021July 29, 2021

A Taste of the Past

ALS News Today Columns

When my husband, Todd, was diagnosed with ALS, I grieved the loss of our dreams and our future together, but I had no idea how hard daily life would become. ... Read more

July 22, 2021July 22, 2021

The Many Challenges of Getting Out

ALS News Today Columns

Normally, we live much of our life at home. My husband, Todd, has ALS and is paralyzed. He spends his time in his wheelchair set up at his computer, and ... Read more

July 15, 2021July 15, 2021

Time Travel With ALS: What If We Could?

ALS News Today Columns

I’ve been thinking about time travel after watching a couple movies with my husband, Todd, who has ALS. We enjoyed “About Time” during one of our date nights and “The ... Read more

July 8, 2021July 8, 2021

The Pressure of Caregiving Makes Self-care Difficult

ALS News Today Columns

Knowing that so much is riding on me creates a lot of pressure. I don’t get sick days, vacation, or weekends off. Taking time off to attend to my health ... Read more

July 1, 2021July 1, 2021

Grabbing Bits of Beauty to Rejuvenate

ALS News Today Columns

“I am so sick of being sick,” Todd said. He’s having trouble kicking this bug that he’s been fighting for two weeks. His lungs keep filling with mucus, and I ... Read more

June 24, 2021June 24, 2021

ALS + a Cold = Stress x 10

ALS News Today Columns

My husband, Todd, came down with a cold last week. At this stage of his ALS progression, any cold is life-threatening. His lungs fill up with mucus, and he needs ... Read more

June 17, 2021June 17, 2021

Remembering Our Shared History Strengthens Our Relationship

ALS News Today Columns

“Can you believe our little Fafa finished ninth grade?” I asked my husband, Todd, as I flushed his feeding tube. He laughed, and we took a trip down memory lane. ... Read more

June 10, 2021June 10, 2021

Looking Back on 11 Years of Our Joyful Sorrow

ALS News Today Columns

On occasion, I’ll page through the photo books my husband, Todd, made for me as Christmas gifts. I feel a sense of gratitude as I look back on all we’ve ... Read more