What is ALS?
ALS, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also know as Lou Gehrig’s disease, affects the motor neurons. They slowly die or stop firing so eventually you can’t use your muscles…
Most often symptoms start with slight weakness in a hand or foot (limb onset), but in my case the weakness began with slurred speech (bulbar onset). The weakness progresses, eventually affecting your diaphragm and breathing muscles.
It is a rare, multi-faceted and complicated disease with no specific cause or cure, affecting around 5 people in 100,000. Textbooks say that the average life expectancy (without a ventilator) is 3-5 years and is always fatal. It’s definitely an exclusive club no one wants to join!
