Posted in Life
My mom saw the ALS specialist last week. He said that she has Bulbar Palsy- the nerves die that control the face, neck, and throat. This affects the speech and the ability to swallow. At first, this sounded like better news but it's not. Bulbar is not an easier disease than Lou Gehrig's disease, in fact, the life expectancy is considerably less. People with Bulbar Palsy usually choke to death or die from pneumonia that results from aspirating food or liquid into the lungs.She will have additional testing but she is not eligible for any type of financial assistance, so treatment options are limited. In fact, the doctor never even mentioned the possibility of any kind of medication that could slow the process. He just told her to start thinking about a feeding tube since her ability to eat will soon diminish. We have also made contact with hospice.
At present my mom is still working. She is a secretary for a Christian publication. Everyone is aware that each day may be her last. We never know what changes lie around the next corner... but we must face these changes as they come.
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