Our Story
The first sign that something was wrong revealed itself in the middle of my first Indianapolis Mini Marathon in 2014. I had run the Geist Half Marathon the year before and was planning on doing the double that year, running the Geist race two weeks after the Mini. I hit a wall in both races that May, struggling to complete the distance and began dragging my left foot when I ran. The dragging foot led to several trips and falls, leading me to seek medical attention. After several visits to my PCP and a podiatrist with no improvements, I found myself in a neurologist"s office. Ten months after my first symptoms, I was told that I most likely had a neuromuscular disease, possibly ALS. That diagnosis was confirmed in May of 2015.
I began being seen at the ALS Clinic that month and return there every three months for a progression check. The clinic is designed to eliminate the need for multiple appointments with all of the different practices that are involved with the treatment of ALS. During the 4-5 hour appointment, we see the clinic nurse, the neurologist, a physicist, respiratory therapist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, dietitian, a medical equipment specialist, an orthotics specialist, a social worker from the ALS Association and a chaplain. It's quite an ordeal but much better than trying to schedule individual appointments with all of them every three months. The main goal of the clinic is to provide the necessary tools for me to continue living at a level that is as comfortable and as normal as can be giving the current condition and progression of ALS.
While this disease does its damage to me physically and to all us emotionally, our family has circled the wagons and will not give in to the inevitable. I couldn't do it without them and feel so blessed to have them by my side.
The same can be said for the many friends who have come forward to provide support to us in so many different ways, from building a ramp in our garage to assisting with yard work to providing meals. Everything you do makes our workload a little lighter and allows for extra time together enjoying every precious moment we have.
The love and support of family and friends was never more evident than when we put together a team for the Indiana Chapter of the ALS Association's 2015 Walk to Defeat ALS. In our first year, we were 125 walkers strong and raised $15,000 for the cause. Those numbers were good enough for the 2nd largest team at the walk and garnered the top spot for fundraising by a "Friends and Family Team". We are looking to beat those numbers this year and would love to have you be a part of our day. Look for a blog post regarding the walk in the near future.
Once again, thanks to all of you who have joined us in this journey. We couldn't do it without you and that helps us look forward to whatever the future holds for us.
For more information on ALS and the ALS Association, Indiana Chapter, click here. To join Team Walking With Wes, click here.
I began being seen at the ALS Clinic that month and return there every three months for a progression check. The clinic is designed to eliminate the need for multiple appointments with all of the different practices that are involved with the treatment of ALS. During the 4-5 hour appointment, we see the clinic nurse, the neurologist, a physicist, respiratory therapist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, dietitian, a medical equipment specialist, an orthotics specialist, a social worker from the ALS Association and a chaplain. It's quite an ordeal but much better than trying to schedule individual appointments with all of them every three months. The main goal of the clinic is to provide the necessary tools for me to continue living at a level that is as comfortable and as normal as can be giving the current condition and progression of ALS.
While this disease does its damage to me physically and to all us emotionally, our family has circled the wagons and will not give in to the inevitable. I couldn't do it without them and feel so blessed to have them by my side.
The same can be said for the many friends who have come forward to provide support to us in so many different ways, from building a ramp in our garage to assisting with yard work to providing meals. Everything you do makes our workload a little lighter and allows for extra time together enjoying every precious moment we have.
The love and support of family and friends was never more evident than when we put together a team for the Indiana Chapter of the ALS Association's 2015 Walk to Defeat ALS. In our first year, we were 125 walkers strong and raised $15,000 for the cause. Those numbers were good enough for the 2nd largest team at the walk and garnered the top spot for fundraising by a "Friends and Family Team". We are looking to beat those numbers this year and would love to have you be a part of our day. Look for a blog post regarding the walk in the near future.
Once again, thanks to all of you who have joined us in this journey. We couldn't do it without you and that helps us look forward to whatever the future holds for us.
For more information on ALS and the ALS Association, Indiana Chapter, click here. To join Team Walking With Wes, click here.