dealing with ataxia day to day
Donation protected
DEAR FOLKS :
I AM 65 YEARS OLD I HAVE HAD TO GIVE UP THE THINGS I HAVE ENJOYED MY ENTIRE LIFE WORKING IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTURY. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ATAXIA ON MY WIFE AND MY 43RD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY IN 2012. I STARTED TO FALL AT WORK IN OUR PARKING LOT AFTER FALLING AT LEAST FIVE TIMES I KNEW SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. AFTER HAVING MANY MRI'S AND DOCTOR VISITS THE DOCTOR ADVISED US THAT I DID HAVE ATAXIA== IT IS A PROGRESSIVE NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE THAT IMPAIRS BALANCE, COORDINATION, AND SPEECH. DUE TO THE BALANCE ISSUES AND SLURRED SPEECH CAUSED BY ATAXIA A PERSON MAY APPEAR DRUNK I AM SHOWING ALL OF THOSE SYMPTOMS (NOT THE SLURRED SPEECH) AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE. I AM HOPING TO HAVE BLOOD WORK DONE TO HELP OUR 2 CHILDREN BECAUSE THIS IS HEREDITARY. MY DAD HAD IT. HIS SISTER HAD IT AND MY GRANDMA HAD IT. MAYO CLINIC SAID THAT MORE THAN LIKELY ONE OF MY CHILDREN WILL GET IT. THE PROBLEM IS THE BLOOD WORK IS VERY EXSENSIVE.
I HAVE STARTED GOING TO PHYSICAL THERAPY EACH AND EVERY WEEK THREE TIMES A WEEK. THERAPY HELPS THE MIND TO ADJUST TO EVERY DAY THINGS LIKE WALKING, EYE SIGHT, AND MUSCULAR COORDINATION. I DID NOT WANT TO RETIRE AT AGE 65 I WANTED TO WORK UNTILL AGE 70 BECAUSE I LOVED WORKING AND LOOKED FORWARD TO WORKING. NOW EACH AND EVERY DAY IS A CHALLENGE JUST TO WALK AND TO DO NORMAL THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED. EVEN DRIVING CAN SOMETIMES BE A CHANLLENG WHEN I EXPERIENCE DOUBLE VISION OR AT NIGHT IT IS HARDER TO SEE THE ROAD SIGNS AND JUDGE DISTANCE. IT IS DISHEARTENING THAT AT THIS TIME AS I MENTIONED, THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE OR MEDICATION TO TREAT ATAXIA.
I AM 65 YEARS OLD I HAVE HAD TO GIVE UP THE THINGS I HAVE ENJOYED MY ENTIRE LIFE WORKING IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTURY. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ATAXIA ON MY WIFE AND MY 43RD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY IN 2012. I STARTED TO FALL AT WORK IN OUR PARKING LOT AFTER FALLING AT LEAST FIVE TIMES I KNEW SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. AFTER HAVING MANY MRI'S AND DOCTOR VISITS THE DOCTOR ADVISED US THAT I DID HAVE ATAXIA== IT IS A PROGRESSIVE NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE THAT IMPAIRS BALANCE, COORDINATION, AND SPEECH. DUE TO THE BALANCE ISSUES AND SLURRED SPEECH CAUSED BY ATAXIA A PERSON MAY APPEAR DRUNK I AM SHOWING ALL OF THOSE SYMPTOMS (NOT THE SLURRED SPEECH) AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE. I AM HOPING TO HAVE BLOOD WORK DONE TO HELP OUR 2 CHILDREN BECAUSE THIS IS HEREDITARY. MY DAD HAD IT. HIS SISTER HAD IT AND MY GRANDMA HAD IT. MAYO CLINIC SAID THAT MORE THAN LIKELY ONE OF MY CHILDREN WILL GET IT. THE PROBLEM IS THE BLOOD WORK IS VERY EXSENSIVE.
I HAVE STARTED GOING TO PHYSICAL THERAPY EACH AND EVERY WEEK THREE TIMES A WEEK. THERAPY HELPS THE MIND TO ADJUST TO EVERY DAY THINGS LIKE WALKING, EYE SIGHT, AND MUSCULAR COORDINATION. I DID NOT WANT TO RETIRE AT AGE 65 I WANTED TO WORK UNTILL AGE 70 BECAUSE I LOVED WORKING AND LOOKED FORWARD TO WORKING. NOW EACH AND EVERY DAY IS A CHALLENGE JUST TO WALK AND TO DO NORMAL THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED. EVEN DRIVING CAN SOMETIMES BE A CHANLLENG WHEN I EXPERIENCE DOUBLE VISION OR AT NIGHT IT IS HARDER TO SEE THE ROAD SIGNS AND JUDGE DISTANCE. IT IS DISHEARTENING THAT AT THIS TIME AS I MENTIONED, THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE OR MEDICATION TO TREAT ATAXIA.
Organizer
Lee Laible
Organizer
