Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a motor neuron disorder, where the neurons controlling the voluntary muscles gradually get affected thus impacting all muscular activity of the patient, gradually and ultimately resulting in death.
I first heard of the dreaded disorder from a friend whose spouse was diagnosed with it. I could not then and I cannot now, imagine the daily dread this lovely couple is going through - physically and emotionally. As the muscles atrophy and start to affect the body slowly but steadily, it ain't just the one person who is affected. The deep-seated feeling of dread of the times to come in my friends' lives, is so hurtful that I can't even bring myself to think of it any further let aside describe it. The first time I heard about it, I decided to shut myself to it. I felt that the less I knew, the more I would be able to stay positive with our conversations and make their times spent with me happier.
The ALS Ice Bucket challenge has been making the facebook rounds. Came even closer to me as Neetima took on the challenge last evening. My friends, Mihir and Sangeeta made the challenge even more special with this beautifully and meaningfully made video.
So I decided to read more about the ALS this evening on wikipedia. I still cannot bear to go through the entire wikipedia article as I keep thinking of my friends. However, it sort of helps to know more about the disorder. I think I can now at least support the conversations by understanding the condition a little better, when my friends talk about it with amazing courage. I promise to myself, to be more supportive and help them talk about it whenever they want to. That is the least I can do to support them as a result of this day's learning.
May we learn so much about it that one day we can take the struggle out of it. Till then........ let's spread the awareness.
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