In 2017 I started feeling different. When I went to walk it was the darndest thing…my body kinda folded over. My sister told me “stand up straight”. I already had had a hip replacement and had spinal stenosis. I went to my doctor and she sent me to two other doctors. They couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Then I was sent to a specialist, Dr. DeVere. He examined me and knew within a half hour what was wrong with me. He told me I had ALS. I asked him if he was sure and he said “yes”.
I had to figure out how to tell my family. We had a family meeting at the hospital to discuss. My husband thought I had ALS because I didn’t take good care of myself from helping other people. The doctor told my husband that wasn’t so. I stayed at Kaiser until Thanksgiving Day and then was admitted to CCOH. I wanna go home! My son, his girlfriend and my husband are all at home and I know I would have to hire help but I wanna go home. I miss my doggie Anuhea and she misses me.
As told to Katherine O’Connor