fact #6
ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, aka Lou Gehrig's Disease. This one is crazy. You start to notice weakness or stiffness or cramping in your arms and/or legs. You go to the doctor, they diagnose you with ALS if your lucky*. Lucky not because they can do anything, you just know that you will die a terrible death in 3-5 years. The nerves in your ventral grey horn in the spinal column die, causing you to loose all function of your voluntary muscles (save your eye muscles, oh boy!) You cant swallow, protect your airway, or talk. but your muscles do spontaneously twitch, until they completely atrophy. Then you die because you cant contract your diaphragm (from the phrenic nerve, cervical roots 3-5).
Whelp, sorry this is a pretty morbid post. I went for the longest run of my life today (16 miles) for two reasons. one because im training for a marathon. the second reason is because i can. the longer im in medical school and the more i learn about these terrible diseases, the more i just want to drop out of medical school and enjoy life. it can go so fast. if your diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you usually have about 3 months to live and then your 6 feet under.
so, i end with this, a challenge to get outside and do anything. and thank God that you can.
Nico! I ran hills today because your enter. Keep them coming! It was fun hanging out with you and I hope school is off to a good start.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather died of Lou Gehrig's disease before I was born. It does sound like a bad way to go, I wish I had known him.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's good to hear that you're doing well! 16 miles is pretty flippin sweet.
-Brian
Hi. I have ALS and found your blog. I can still run and will run my 26th-and final-marathon in NY.
ReplyDeleteYou are a lucky person to have learned a lesson so early: enjoy life while you are living it.
I wish you much success, and good luck with your marathon.
Deb