ALS News Today Columns

May 6, 2021May 6, 2021

ALS Awareness Is Good, but Action Is Better

ALS News Today Columns

In the summer of 2014, people across the world dumped water over their heads in the ALS ice bucket challenge and shared videos of the experience on social media. Our ... Read more

May 5, 2021May 5, 2021

Come Smell the Bacon

ALS News Today Columns

“Everybody’s talkin’ at me, Can’t hear a word they’re sayin’, Only the echoes of my mind.” – Fred Neil ALS has rendered me a minimalist creature of habit. My weekday ... Read more

May 4, 2021May 4, 2021

How I Took My First Step in Spreading ALS Awareness

ALS News Today Columns, COVID-19 Columns

Like many newly diagnosed ALS patients, I was overwhelmed by the steep learning curve of finding out more about the disease. Never mind having to jump in and help raise ... Read more

April 29, 2021April 29, 2021

Facing Uncertainty in Life With ALS

ALS News Today Columns

Life is unpredictable. People get in car accidents. They have heart attacks. Tornadoes strike. I recently saw a viral video in which a rabid bobcat attacked a woman outside her ... Read more

April 27, 2021April 27, 2021

How We’ll Find That Perfect Ending to the ALS Story

ALS News Today Columns, COVID-19 Columns

Last week, I caught up with a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. After we chatted a bit about the challenges of the past year, she suddenly asked, “Isn’t ... Read more

April 22, 2021April 22, 2021

Distracting Myself From the Pain Helps Me Cope With It

ALS News Today Columns, COVID-19 Columns

My husband, Todd, and I had our second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine last week. The side effects from the first shot hadn’t been bad for either of us — ... Read more

April 21, 2021April 21, 2021

The Redemptive Power of a Stroll on the Beach

ALS News Today Columns

“Tracing your footprints in the sand, Trying to walk like a man, … But I didn’t think there’d be so many steps I’d have to learn on my own. Well ... Read more

April 15, 2021April 15, 2021

Wanting More Than Family Screen Time

ALS News Today Columns

Family movie nights are great, but it’s a challenge to think of other things we can do together now that my husband, Todd, is paralyzed from ALS. I’ve long had ... Read more

April 14, 2021April 14, 2021

Celebrating a Trivial Pursuit at the 100 Mark

ALS News Today Columns, COVID-19 Columns

“One hundred bottles of beer on the wall, One hundred bottles of beer! Take one down, Pass it around, Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall!” That ditty was invariably ... Read more

April 13, 2021April 13, 2021

Friends Don’t Tell Friends How to Cure Their Disease

ALS News Today Columns, COVID-19 Columns

It all began as one of those typical online interactions when someone reaches out and asks for help. A gentleman contacted me via Facebook, explaining that his friend was recently ... Read more

April 8, 2021April 8, 2021

Spring Break With ALS Comes With Sacrifice and Love

ALS News Today Columns

I think a lot about how a parent’s ALS affects kids. Recently, an online friend lost her husband to ALS. She has small children and has been posting about their ... Read more

April 7, 2021April 7, 2021

Bifocal Vision Correction and the Art of Dance

ALS News Today Columns

“I can see clearly now the rain is gone. I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.” Last week, the Jimmy ... Read more

April 6, 2021April 6, 2021

How ‘Self-care Minis’ Help Me Through a Busy Day

ALS News Today Columns, COVID-19 Columns

I’m always on the lookout for self-care strategies that help me cope and live with my ALS. Recently, I added two quick and easy skills I call “self-care minis” to ... Read more

April 1, 2021April 1, 2021

‘Why Didn’t You Tell Me I Was Happy?’

ALS News Today Columns

After my husband, Todd, was diagnosed with ALS, we thought he would have at most five years to live. We started with only two major goals: take a family vacation ... Read more

March 31, 2021March 31, 2021

Life Imitating Art Imitating Life

ALS News Today Columns

“They’re gonna put me in the movies, They’re gonna make a big star out of me, … And all I gotta do is act naturally.” — Johnny Russell Two weeks ... Read more