Not a friend's only entry for once.
I went to a fundraiser to get my uncle a life saving surgery. I saw my uncles, cousins, aunts, my pata, my brother, and my nephew. I sang a Creed song and "The Good Stuff" by Kenny Chesney. I made everyone do he Macarena and the Chicken Dance. My sister, aunt, dad, as well as many other people were crying, so I comforted them. My uncle can barely walk or talk. He made a speech. "I love you all so much", he said "And with your support, I'm going to fight this disease until the end." My sister teared up and started crying. I held her while she did, trying not to cry myself. I feel so selfish. I don't have any money right now, maybe I should have a garage sale and give him the money? I don't know. I can't control any of this, even though I want to. I donated my last five dollars to my uncle since that's all I had.
My dad had the DJ play "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding. My dad and I danced to the song and he just started crying. All I could do was say "It's okay, Daddy". My uncle can't even dance. When he walks, he uses a cane, and soon, he won't be able to walk at all.
The Disease my uncle has is called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He was diagnosed in October. He was a police officer in Madison Heights for around 20 years. He was never an alcoholic. My Uncle Greg rode his bicycle three hours a day, if not more. He ate healthy. My Uncle Greg is the kind of guy that would give you the shirt of his back. He never missed a day of church or the chance to help someone. He stuck by his son even after that very son stole my uncle's cop gun and used it to try to steal a car, even after his son went to prison. My uncle doesn't cry infront of anyone. He does not pity himself. He does not ask why me, instead he asks "Why not me?". Greg does not pray for God to take him to Heaven or to ease his pain, instead he prays for God to ease the pain of those around him. He never hit his wife or his kids. He is the rock in my family, and probably one of the greatest guys I will ever know. I feel as though he's already dead... I love him so much, I think my heart is going to break.
Some information on ALS:
What is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells (neurons) responsible for controlling voluntary muscles. In ALS, both the upper motor neurons and the lower motor neurons degenerate or die, ceasing to send messages to muscles. Unable to function, the muscles gradually weaken, waste away, and twitch. Eventually the ability of the brain to start and control voluntary movement is lost. Individuals with ALS lose their strength and the ability to move their arms, legs, and body. When muscles in the diaphragm and chest wall fail, individuals lose the ability to breathe without ventilatory support. Because ALS affects only motor neurons, the disease does not impair a person's mind, personality, intelligence, or memory, nor does it affect a person's ability to see, smell, taste, hear, or recognize touch. The cause of ALS is not known, and scientists do not yet know why ALS strikes some people and not others.
Is there any treatment?
No cure has yet been found for ALS. However, the FDA has approved the first drug treatment for the disease-riluzole. Riluzole is believed to reduce damage to motor neurons and prolongs survival by several months, mainly in those with difficulty swallowing. Other treatments are designed to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life for people with ALS. Drugs also are available to help individuals with pain, depression, sleep disturbances, and constipation. Individuals with ALS may eventually consider forms of mechanical ventilation (respirators).
What is the prognosis?
Regardless of the part of the body first affected by the disease, muscle weakness and atrophy spread to other parts of the body as the disease progresses. Individuals have increasing problems with moving, swallowing, and speaking or forming words. Eventually people with ALS will not be able to stand or walk, get in or out of bed on their own, or use their hands and arms. In later stages of the disease, individuals have difficulty breathing as the muscles of the respiratory system weaken. Although ventilation support can ease problems with breathing and prolong survival, it does not affect the progression of ALS. Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually within 3 to 5 years from the onset of symptoms. However, about 10 percent of those individuals with ALS survive for 10 or more years.
What research is being done?
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) conducts research in its laboratories at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and also supports additional research through grants to major medical institutions across the country. The goals of this research are to find the cause or causes of ALS, understand the mechanisms involved in the progression of the disease, and develop effective treatments.
This is from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/amyotrophiclateralsclerosis/amyotrophiclateralsclerosis.htm
Yeah, I've go to go cry now.
My dad had the DJ play "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding. My dad and I danced to the song and he just started crying. All I could do was say "It's okay, Daddy". My uncle can't even dance. When he walks, he uses a cane, and soon, he won't be able to walk at all.
The Disease my uncle has is called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He was diagnosed in October. He was a police officer in Madison Heights for around 20 years. He was never an alcoholic. My Uncle Greg rode his bicycle three hours a day, if not more. He ate healthy. My Uncle Greg is the kind of guy that would give you the shirt of his back. He never missed a day of church or the chance to help someone. He stuck by his son even after that very son stole my uncle's cop gun and used it to try to steal a car, even after his son went to prison. My uncle doesn't cry infront of anyone. He does not pity himself. He does not ask why me, instead he asks "Why not me?". Greg does not pray for God to take him to Heaven or to ease his pain, instead he prays for God to ease the pain of those around him. He never hit his wife or his kids. He is the rock in my family, and probably one of the greatest guys I will ever know. I feel as though he's already dead... I love him so much, I think my heart is going to break.
Some information on ALS:
What is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells (neurons) responsible for controlling voluntary muscles. In ALS, both the upper motor neurons and the lower motor neurons degenerate or die, ceasing to send messages to muscles. Unable to function, the muscles gradually weaken, waste away, and twitch. Eventually the ability of the brain to start and control voluntary movement is lost. Individuals with ALS lose their strength and the ability to move their arms, legs, and body. When muscles in the diaphragm and chest wall fail, individuals lose the ability to breathe without ventilatory support. Because ALS affects only motor neurons, the disease does not impair a person's mind, personality, intelligence, or memory, nor does it affect a person's ability to see, smell, taste, hear, or recognize touch. The cause of ALS is not known, and scientists do not yet know why ALS strikes some people and not others.
Is there any treatment?
No cure has yet been found for ALS. However, the FDA has approved the first drug treatment for the disease-riluzole. Riluzole is believed to reduce damage to motor neurons and prolongs survival by several months, mainly in those with difficulty swallowing. Other treatments are designed to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life for people with ALS. Drugs also are available to help individuals with pain, depression, sleep disturbances, and constipation. Individuals with ALS may eventually consider forms of mechanical ventilation (respirators).
What is the prognosis?
Regardless of the part of the body first affected by the disease, muscle weakness and atrophy spread to other parts of the body as the disease progresses. Individuals have increasing problems with moving, swallowing, and speaking or forming words. Eventually people with ALS will not be able to stand or walk, get in or out of bed on their own, or use their hands and arms. In later stages of the disease, individuals have difficulty breathing as the muscles of the respiratory system weaken. Although ventilation support can ease problems with breathing and prolong survival, it does not affect the progression of ALS. Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually within 3 to 5 years from the onset of symptoms. However, about 10 percent of those individuals with ALS survive for 10 or more years.
What research is being done?
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) conducts research in its laboratories at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and also supports additional research through grants to major medical institutions across the country. The goals of this research are to find the cause or causes of ALS, understand the mechanisms involved in the progression of the disease, and develop effective treatments.
This is from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/amyotrophiclateralsclerosis/amyotrophiclateralsclerosis.htm
Yeah, I've go to go cry now.