Journal Entry Number Four
You many have read about the various symptoms of ALS, but I decided to cover them anyway. Here is a list:
Twitching
Muscle fatigue
Shortness of breath
Slurred words, difficulty speaking
Low volume when talking
Uncontrollable laughing or crying
Difficulty swallowing
Muscle spasms
Weakness in the limbs and in other muscles
Uncontrollable yawning
Coughing, and some gagging
Other than slurred words and difficulty speaking and swallowing, all of these apply to me.
The effects of the symptoms may seem obvious, such as mobility issues. Here are some problems that books and doctors don't tell you about:
Turning pages
Remote controls
Telephones
Scratching when I itch
Drinking everything through a straw
I can't rollover so I have to sleep on my back, or waken Julie to roll me over
Receiving hugs is pretty easy, but delivering is impossible.
Instead of worrying about dying from ALS, I am learning how to live with ALS.
