SteelMagnolia
08-24-2003, 09:58 PM
I am so thankful to find a site where I can share feelings about my husband's ALS. This has been the most devastating two years of my life. It has also been the most rewarding period of my life.
His symptoms first appeared in the fall of 1999, about the time my mother began to have a series of hospital stays and his mother died. Needless to say, he did not get to the correct doctor early enough. Although, what good would that have done?
His first symptom was very scary. He is a police officer and was at the shooting range qualifying with his pistol. He shot rounds with his right hand, then began to fire with his "off" or left hand. With the first shot, his arm dropped to his side and twisted grotesquely with the gun pointed ******d. His friends had to pry the weapon from his hand. Later that month, he almost dropped our granddaughter as he carried her in from the car. I caught her as his left arm dropped away from under her. He began having pain that ran from his left armpit to his elbow. Gradually, he lost the use of that arm.
More of my fascinating(?) story later. My hint for the day: If you are having trouble drinking water, try chipped ice from a snow cone machine. We got ours for less than $20 at a local discount store. Works much better than the hammer an ziplock bag I was using!! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif
His symptoms first appeared in the fall of 1999, about the time my mother began to have a series of hospital stays and his mother died. Needless to say, he did not get to the correct doctor early enough. Although, what good would that have done?
His first symptom was very scary. He is a police officer and was at the shooting range qualifying with his pistol. He shot rounds with his right hand, then began to fire with his "off" or left hand. With the first shot, his arm dropped to his side and twisted grotesquely with the gun pointed ******d. His friends had to pry the weapon from his hand. Later that month, he almost dropped our granddaughter as he carried her in from the car. I caught her as his left arm dropped away from under her. He began having pain that ran from his left armpit to his elbow. Gradually, he lost the use of that arm.
More of my fascinating(?) story later. My hint for the day: If you are having trouble drinking water, try chipped ice from a snow cone machine. We got ours for less than $20 at a local discount store. Works much better than the hammer an ziplock bag I was using!! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif