Just curious - how is everyones family handling this?

[slipslidingaway]

4. Many of us are at different levels ...

do we still hope for the future or not? We're still in the 'there is some hope mode' even though it is diminishing, hard to write that as I've only written it now for the first time.

A friend was recently diagnosed with ALS and the chances of a longer term survival are not good, he is in his early 50's and they have planned a 'trip of a lifetime' to Australia and New Zealand.

As much as I've resisted some drugs to help me cope, I will ask my doc tomorrow for 'something' and sleeping pills as well. A friend gave me a bottle of vodka last night to bring to NYC for the next four months, that is the timeframe we are looking at ... not saying it will last four months!

Hopefully your wife and son/children have someone they can lean on besides you, we are all in a tenuous position. The social worker at the hospital the other day was extremely helpful and she said she will follow us through discharge. See if there are support groups or at least a relative or close friend where your wife can turn in a time of crisis. I always have my great sister who will not let me fall too far.

I think I've said this before, it only takes one strong person to enlist an army, zero in on that strong person and let them help ... or in actuality they will find you and your family.