What is Lou Gehrig's Disease?
@GardenGerty (169448)
United States
November 8, 2009 4:20pm CST
A friend asked that in another discussion, and I want to share a little about it here. I have a friend on MyLot whose husband has been diagnosed with it. The real name is amyotropic lateral sclerosis. The roots of the words are mostly Greek, I believe. What it boils down to is that the inside or nucleus of the motor neuron (nerve) is not receiving input and is atrophying (dying). No matter what you do or how hard you exercise. It does so in a lateral or straight line pattern, arms, legs, lungs, etc, balanced on both sides. Sclerosis is scarring. Is it the same as Multiple Sclerosis? No, but can be mistaken for it at first. Same as for Parkinsons Disease. My first husband died of ALS--Lou Gehrig's disease.He just eventually lost the ability to breathe, and fell asleep. He was sick a year. Some last longer, and some not so long. Have you lost someone to a common disease or a rare one? Is it something you like to share?
10 people like this
10 responses
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
10 Nov 09
I've read a little about ALS and I wouldn't wish it on anybody. :-(
Other than my mother, I haven't lost anybody close to me and she didn't die of anything rare. Heart failure, probably due to very heavy smoking or a blood clot. She had had a bad fall two months prior, broken hip and arm. She went to the doctor and he released her. Then she went to the next doctor because she was having some other problems. Went to sleep in his office and never woke up.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
11 Nov 09
Often a blood clot will migrate from a break and kill the victim. I am so sorry.
1 person likes this
@cher913 (25781)
• Canada
9 Nov 09
well i think it must be pretty rare but my hubby has an aunt who has this and she is not doing well at all. She is in her late 70s and cannot do anything for herself, but she is at home where her sister and her hubby are looking after her (which must be very difficult) but it is really an invasive disease.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
11 Nov 09
It can be a really depressing disease.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
9 Nov 09
Yes, seeing a person dying from one of these rare diseases like this, is hard. I had a good friend, who we dated for a short time, who was diagnosed with Hutchinsons. It was sad to see as the disease progressed how much it attacked the way he walked, etc. It would be nice if one day they could finally find some form of help and cure for these rarer forms of disease out there like these as well.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
9 Nov 09
Huntington's disease is one that I consider awful. I have a friend whose mother had it, and I also helped take care of someone with it in a nursing home. In addition to the motor losses there is an aspect of mental incapacity that in some people leads to violence. It is very sad. Strong family inheritance pattern there as well.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
11 Nov 09
I had a client that has ALS. She was doing better so they took her off homemaker services. She is still getting services, but just on another level. She is a remarkable woman. Never complains. I know that one day I will hear that she is declining in health. I hope it isn't soon. She has been battling the disease for quite a while now. That is the nature of the disease. You never know when it will take you.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
9 Nov 09
Hi there GG no I haven't and I have to be honest I have not heard of the Illness before
I am so sorry for your Friend whose Husband has this
I sometimes wonder why there are these Illnesses specially the ones as bad as that
My Ex Husbands Mum had Multiple Sclerosis and it hurt me to see her like that, even though she did not like me much the first years, I still did not like seeing her like that
When I first met her she was ok and still working and then it hit her
She was a very frustrated Lady which I can now understand more then I did then, the only one that was able to calm her when we used to visit was me and she adored the Kids
His Dad was very good I have to admit but he was also selfish but she loved him so much
It is hard to deal with a Person who is so ill not through their Fault though, they need love and care
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
11 Nov 09
In the UK I believe they call it motor neuron disease. You are right, people who are ill need lots of love and care.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
8 Nov 09
Yes, even in disease progression we are unique individuals. I am sorry for your friend. I hope her mom has good care.
2 people like this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
9 Nov 09
I have only encountered one person (thank goodness) with this debilitating, sentencing disease! On this small Island, one knows the owners/managers of all local businesses! We were so happy & proud, when our small Golf Course attracted a retired pro, to while away his latter years here. And he was jubilant, within a few months he was diagnosed with ALS...it was truly a visual awakening of the powers of this disease, and how fast it can sweep one's life away! I was a paramedic at the time, so called often for complications and to see the ongoing destruction was truly painful!
When I lost my BIL this spring..Congestive Heart failure was the hospitalized reason.....but the rarity came from him being totally allergic to the dye used in the MRI causing his kidneys to shut down! Apparently one in 100,000 react!
My condolensces, Garden..and I truly hope this memory was NOT TOO painful!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
11 Nov 09
Actually the memories are very rich. I can say I loved him as well as I could to the end, and he loved me, and others could see this and were touched as well. I learned how strong I could be.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
8 Nov 09
I believe we have the same friend here on myLot, I was so unhappy to hear that diagnosis. 
My family and I have been blessed with good health and long lives.
I'm so sorry you lost your husband to such a horrible disease. It's hard to know what to say in conversations like this.
My family and I have been blessed with good health and long lives.
I'm so sorry you lost your husband to such a horrible disease. It's hard to know what to say in conversations like this.2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
8 Nov 09
I started this after I was in a discussion and mentioned being widowed. I actually have two friends here that are married to men with ALS. One in Canada, one in Oklahoma. I hope I can be a good friend to both.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
9 Nov 09
Very similar, you are right. The muscles can no longer do their jobs.
1 person likes this
@sherrypeck19822001 (228)
• United States
26 Nov 09
My mom is currently in the hospital because her lungs weren't expelling CO2 from her body. CO2 is the byproduct that your lungs make when you breath in Oxygen.
What caused this is that she has COPD (a severe breathing problem) and Emphesema, and is a lung cancer patient. COPD patients have a problem with their lungs not wanting to work for themselves when they are on an oxygen apparatus.
My mom is only supposed to have her oxygen concentrator set to 3, but it was up to 5. She gets panicky when she can't breath so she turns it up.
She was getting too much oxygen and because she wasn't having to work too hard to get the oxygen, her body didn't want to work to expel the CO2.
She started to hallucinate so I called an ambulance. :(
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
28 Feb 10
Good for you to be right on the ball about this. It is important that medical equipment be used in the right way. I am so sorry that you and your mom are facing these diseases.
