Wednesday, July 13, 2011

ONE PATIENT'S VIEW OF ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also called Lou Gerhig’s disease) is an extremely serious condition in which the motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain, and brainstem (which lies between the brain and spinal cord) die. Certain other neurons die as well but the main problem is caused by the gradual death of the motor neurons. This causes the patient to gradually get weaker and weaker. Eventually, he or she cannot move at all, swallow food, control the bowels or urinary flow, or breathe. Death usually occurs within four years of diagnosis. There is no effective treatment. Last Sunday the New York Times present an essay called “The Good Short Life” by a writer named Dudley Clendinen. You can read his gripping comments at http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/opinion/sunday/10als.html?pagewanted=all. It appears that he has a suicide plan in place so that he will not have to linger on in a helpless condition. This is definitely not everybody’s choice. Many choose to go onto a respirator and fight it out for many years. There is, in my opinion, no absolute wrong or right in this. Here is a video he made earlier
http://www.baltimoresun.com/videobeta/?watchId=643baf6d-e2f4-4831-934e-7048532a7e38

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