February 2015
Hello, all my fellow PALS. This is Kim, and I decided it was a good time to add a personal note to our site.
Thursday January 22, 2015 was our 38th month anniversary of that sweet little chat we had with my neurologist. It was just a few days later that we sat with my primary care physician, and he told me I could expect possibly another year, but there was no way I would see two. So I celebrated this "anniversary" by playing in a three day golf tournament at the Primm Valley Golf Resort in Nevada. I knew I wouldn't win anything unless they had a category for PALS. My goal was to not shoot the highest score of the whole tournament. But whether I broke 90 (my goal) or shot 110 (more likely), I am playing golf. I ended up not shooting the highest score of my foursome any of the three rounds on very challenging courses, and actually shot 45 on my last nine holes. And I fully expect to be playing for many years to come. The fact that my friends invited me to join them, knowing my game is not up to "par", thrilled me.
I am not yet completely healed of ALS, but I continue to make progress. My upper body strength, especially my arms and hands, are better than they have been in the last five or six years. I still have considerable issues with my feet and my balance, and that embarrassing "drop foot." But we continue many of the therapies, most critically the diet and supplements. I have seen remarkable improvement in my ability to move my toes (Kay thinks primarily because I have been rubbing coconut oil on the bottom of my feet for about three months), which are still curled (hammer toed), but perhaps not as bad. I am close to being able to stand straight and lift my heels off the floor, something I could not begin to do two years ago. Isn't it amazing how all these little things tend to take on so much more significance for us PALS?
Three years ago, it was almost more than I could do to get from the door or a restaurant in our Idaho winter, to our car parked in handicap parking. Yet, on Wednesday, January 14, 2015, I played a full round of golf on a cold wet day in the mid-40s here in Brownsville, TX and felt no ill effects afterwards. That does make a statement that I can still do some pretty stupid things, since my friend and I were the only two golfers on the course.) I don't often try to walk the rounds anymore, because my horrendous gait causes pain in my knees, hips, and feet. I decided I don't have to prove I'm macho anymore by walking. I want to enjoy the game, and life.
Kay and I believe the biggest reason for these most significant improvements is that we have eliminated most of the toxicity from my body. It is also interesting to note that I have not had a cold or the flu in over three years, even when I do stupid things as noted above.
We continue to receive calls and emails from new PALS every week, sometimes two or three a week, that are fighting this battle. I know exactly how every PALS feels at the onset.. ALS looms like a monster mountain right in front of us, and we ask, "How can I ever climb this thing?" We climb it one step at a time. But we must never stop believing that we can reach the top.
Our hearts go out to every one of you. We thrill with your successes, and challenge you to fight and win, then pay it forward. Your are part of our family. It amazes me at how quickly we bond as fellow PALS.
We are here for anyone that needs to chat, or hear a voice of a PALS that could barely talk three years ago. Our email works 24/7, and we will give our phone numbers to anyone who ask..
God Bless You All, Kim
Here is a beautiful song by a little girl singing - You Raise Me Up. Once you are "raised up", raise up others.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203438311151901&fref=nf
(If get the hyperlink working, paste and clip it to your address bar)
Hello, all my fellow PALS. This is Kim, and I decided it was a good time to add a personal note to our site.
Thursday January 22, 2015 was our 38th month anniversary of that sweet little chat we had with my neurologist. It was just a few days later that we sat with my primary care physician, and he told me I could expect possibly another year, but there was no way I would see two. So I celebrated this "anniversary" by playing in a three day golf tournament at the Primm Valley Golf Resort in Nevada. I knew I wouldn't win anything unless they had a category for PALS. My goal was to not shoot the highest score of the whole tournament. But whether I broke 90 (my goal) or shot 110 (more likely), I am playing golf. I ended up not shooting the highest score of my foursome any of the three rounds on very challenging courses, and actually shot 45 on my last nine holes. And I fully expect to be playing for many years to come. The fact that my friends invited me to join them, knowing my game is not up to "par", thrilled me.
I am not yet completely healed of ALS, but I continue to make progress. My upper body strength, especially my arms and hands, are better than they have been in the last five or six years. I still have considerable issues with my feet and my balance, and that embarrassing "drop foot." But we continue many of the therapies, most critically the diet and supplements. I have seen remarkable improvement in my ability to move my toes (Kay thinks primarily because I have been rubbing coconut oil on the bottom of my feet for about three months), which are still curled (hammer toed), but perhaps not as bad. I am close to being able to stand straight and lift my heels off the floor, something I could not begin to do two years ago. Isn't it amazing how all these little things tend to take on so much more significance for us PALS?
Three years ago, it was almost more than I could do to get from the door or a restaurant in our Idaho winter, to our car parked in handicap parking. Yet, on Wednesday, January 14, 2015, I played a full round of golf on a cold wet day in the mid-40s here in Brownsville, TX and felt no ill effects afterwards. That does make a statement that I can still do some pretty stupid things, since my friend and I were the only two golfers on the course.) I don't often try to walk the rounds anymore, because my horrendous gait causes pain in my knees, hips, and feet. I decided I don't have to prove I'm macho anymore by walking. I want to enjoy the game, and life.
Kay and I believe the biggest reason for these most significant improvements is that we have eliminated most of the toxicity from my body. It is also interesting to note that I have not had a cold or the flu in over three years, even when I do stupid things as noted above.
We continue to receive calls and emails from new PALS every week, sometimes two or three a week, that are fighting this battle. I know exactly how every PALS feels at the onset.. ALS looms like a monster mountain right in front of us, and we ask, "How can I ever climb this thing?" We climb it one step at a time. But we must never stop believing that we can reach the top.
Our hearts go out to every one of you. We thrill with your successes, and challenge you to fight and win, then pay it forward. Your are part of our family. It amazes me at how quickly we bond as fellow PALS.
We are here for anyone that needs to chat, or hear a voice of a PALS that could barely talk three years ago. Our email works 24/7, and we will give our phone numbers to anyone who ask..
God Bless You All, Kim
Here is a beautiful song by a little girl singing - You Raise Me Up. Once you are "raised up", raise up others.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203438311151901&fref=nf
(If get the hyperlink working, paste and clip it to your address bar)