My friend “Jane Doe” has ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). She has had it for many years. The diagnoses is two to five years to live. Many live beyond that time frame.
More people die from ALS than AIDS. It can strike anyone at any age. To date there is no cause or cure. It attacks your muscles, leaving them atrophied, eventually attacking your respiratory system, causing death. ALS is terminal and always fatal.
Jane Doe has experienced several instances involving rude and ignorant people. She gets comments saying she should stay home and the usual glares that make her feel very uncomfortable.
ALS can affect your speech, causing a person to sound impaired. On may occasions Jane Doe has been told to “have another drink.”
She has been ridiculed and laughed at on the phone. Doctors, nurses and care aides are often uninformed about ALS.
Jane Doe was in hospital and her stay was like a nightmare in hell. One nurse thought Jane Doe had a brain injury. Some people think her disease is from a drug addiction or alcohol abuse.
Please go to alsbc.ca to get informed before you assume.
June Schuurman