Kickin' ALS with Marlene
Donation protected
Our mom, Marlene Torres, lives with ALS.
Living with ALS is hard to explain. It’s scary to fear your own house. The floors that were once clean and beautiful are now slippery and uneven. The bathtub that was always too small and cramped is now a trap and impossible to get in. The walk from the sofa to the bathroom seems like a marathon and it definitely feels like you ran one. Hell, once your in the bathroom you fear sitting incorrectly and possibly falling off. Aside from the death trap that is your home, you can barely grasp the TV remote and move it to the table next to you. Are you thirsty? You’re going to have to wait for someone to come into the room and get it for you. Why not shout for them across the house? Oh, well your throat muscles are weakening and you have a hard time swallowing and talking, so there’s no sense in using the energy to shout. All these scenarios are direct effects of ALS. Muscle weakening which eventually leads to paralysis.
It's hard to explain. But for many, it’s a reality. An everyday obstacle. Constantly fearing life and questioning the reasons behind being diagnosed with this stupid disease. ALS is a degenerative disease with no cure and hardly any medications. People have a life expectancy of 2-5 years. And for our family...these statistics are a reality.
Marlene Torres. Our beautiful, smart, loving, all-knowing, always-laughing mom. She’s wonderful. Our angel here on Earth. She took care of us through our ups and downs. She gave everything she had to our family. She adores her family and lives for us, her three daughters, Emily, Bianca, and Chloe. She loves her our dad of 31 years, Dorian, who is a Paramedic for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
Devastating news came in June of 2014.
Our mom was diagnosed with ALS. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. We had to accept the reality that this disease has no cure and leaves people paralyzed and on a respirator in 2-5 years. The diagnosis came hard and fast and we had to act. After changing our eating habits, attending physical therapy, and looking into alternative and holistic treatments, we found that this disease was costly.
An average family dishes out $250,000 throughout the course of an individual who is diagnosed with ALS. Between the manual and electric wheelchairs, walkers, vitamins/supplements, natural medications, medical bills, equipment, diet, and transportation costs, and nurses, the bill can become very hefty.
Dorian, our dad, is a Paramedic but is working loads of overtime to help alleviate the cost of these bills. Bianca and Chloe are in college and are relying on student loans and part-time jobs to pay for school. I was an elementary school teacher for Broward County Schools but quit in order to become a full-time caregiver for our mom. We now take turns throughout the week caring for her. With our situation, finances are extremely tight and there is no way we can support these medical bills and unforseen/future expenses.
Marlene is still in a stable condition but she does need assistance with many daily chores except eating and a few others. We help her get out of bed, brush her teeth, comb her hair, use the bathroom, walk her to the couch, make her food, clean her, bathe her, do her laundry and more. With the progression of ALS, our mom will need to perform new protocols and will need at-home professional care which brings up the cost of these medical bills. Once she needs an electric wheelchair we will also need to pay for that out of pocket. There will be many unforseen bills and expenses along the way. But with the money we are able to raise, our mom will be able to try new medications and protocols that will possibly allow for the progression to slow down. The donated funds would truly dimish some of the stress that our family is facing and our beautiful mom will hopefully be able to live a happier life filled with the hope of living longer for our family.
ALS is not easy, pretty or positive but the people who are willing to help can bless our family with so much graciousness, faith, and happiness. We will forever be grateful for any donations and support. We, the Torres Family, need support in this time when our beautiful mom, Marlene, is suffering a disease that no one should ever experience. This time has been extremely hard for our family and we have been extremely stressed as we deal with this ugly disease. We try to maintain our vision of our mom living longer and of hope but sometimes it becomes dim. With your help and generosity, we will be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel. We truly love each and every one of you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!
Thank you!
Chloe, Marlene, and Bianca at a concert in 2012.
Elsa (grandma), Marlene, Emily, Chloe, Bianca during New Year's Eve 2013.
Loving friends and family at a recent ALS Walk supporting beautiful Marlene sponsored by the ALS Association, September 2015.
Emily (in front), Bianca, Chloe, Marlene, Dorian (Husband), Maria and Carmelo in St. Augustine during a family vacation to visit Marlene's lifelong friend Maria, Summer 2015.
Dorian, Chloe and Marlene at Chloe's Highschool Graduation, May 2015.
Marlene and Maria revisiting old memories! Summer 2015
Maria (far left), old friends, and Marlene (second from far right) during former Mother Cabrini High School days in NY.
Living with ALS is hard to explain. It’s scary to fear your own house. The floors that were once clean and beautiful are now slippery and uneven. The bathtub that was always too small and cramped is now a trap and impossible to get in. The walk from the sofa to the bathroom seems like a marathon and it definitely feels like you ran one. Hell, once your in the bathroom you fear sitting incorrectly and possibly falling off. Aside from the death trap that is your home, you can barely grasp the TV remote and move it to the table next to you. Are you thirsty? You’re going to have to wait for someone to come into the room and get it for you. Why not shout for them across the house? Oh, well your throat muscles are weakening and you have a hard time swallowing and talking, so there’s no sense in using the energy to shout. All these scenarios are direct effects of ALS. Muscle weakening which eventually leads to paralysis.
It's hard to explain. But for many, it’s a reality. An everyday obstacle. Constantly fearing life and questioning the reasons behind being diagnosed with this stupid disease. ALS is a degenerative disease with no cure and hardly any medications. People have a life expectancy of 2-5 years. And for our family...these statistics are a reality.
Marlene Torres. Our beautiful, smart, loving, all-knowing, always-laughing mom. She’s wonderful. Our angel here on Earth. She took care of us through our ups and downs. She gave everything she had to our family. She adores her family and lives for us, her three daughters, Emily, Bianca, and Chloe. She loves her our dad of 31 years, Dorian, who is a Paramedic for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
Devastating news came in June of 2014.
Our mom was diagnosed with ALS. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. We had to accept the reality that this disease has no cure and leaves people paralyzed and on a respirator in 2-5 years. The diagnosis came hard and fast and we had to act. After changing our eating habits, attending physical therapy, and looking into alternative and holistic treatments, we found that this disease was costly.
An average family dishes out $250,000 throughout the course of an individual who is diagnosed with ALS. Between the manual and electric wheelchairs, walkers, vitamins/supplements, natural medications, medical bills, equipment, diet, and transportation costs, and nurses, the bill can become very hefty.
Dorian, our dad, is a Paramedic but is working loads of overtime to help alleviate the cost of these bills. Bianca and Chloe are in college and are relying on student loans and part-time jobs to pay for school. I was an elementary school teacher for Broward County Schools but quit in order to become a full-time caregiver for our mom. We now take turns throughout the week caring for her. With our situation, finances are extremely tight and there is no way we can support these medical bills and unforseen/future expenses.
Marlene is still in a stable condition but she does need assistance with many daily chores except eating and a few others. We help her get out of bed, brush her teeth, comb her hair, use the bathroom, walk her to the couch, make her food, clean her, bathe her, do her laundry and more. With the progression of ALS, our mom will need to perform new protocols and will need at-home professional care which brings up the cost of these medical bills. Once she needs an electric wheelchair we will also need to pay for that out of pocket. There will be many unforseen bills and expenses along the way. But with the money we are able to raise, our mom will be able to try new medications and protocols that will possibly allow for the progression to slow down. The donated funds would truly dimish some of the stress that our family is facing and our beautiful mom will hopefully be able to live a happier life filled with the hope of living longer for our family.
ALS is not easy, pretty or positive but the people who are willing to help can bless our family with so much graciousness, faith, and happiness. We will forever be grateful for any donations and support. We, the Torres Family, need support in this time when our beautiful mom, Marlene, is suffering a disease that no one should ever experience. This time has been extremely hard for our family and we have been extremely stressed as we deal with this ugly disease. We try to maintain our vision of our mom living longer and of hope but sometimes it becomes dim. With your help and generosity, we will be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel. We truly love each and every one of you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!
Thank you!
Chloe, Marlene, and Bianca at a concert in 2012.Elsa (grandma), Marlene, Emily, Chloe, Bianca during New Year's Eve 2013.Loving friends and family at a recent ALS Walk supporting beautiful Marlene sponsored by the ALS Association, September 2015.Emily (in front), Bianca, Chloe, Marlene, Dorian (Husband), Maria and Carmelo in St. Augustine during a family vacation to visit Marlene's lifelong friend Maria, Summer 2015. Dorian, Chloe and Marlene at Chloe's Highschool Graduation, May 2015.Marlene and Maria revisiting old memories! Summer 2015Maria (far left), old friends, and Marlene (second from far right) during former Mother Cabrini High School days in NY.Organizer and beneficiary
Chloe Torres
Organizer
Hialeah, FL
Marlene Torres
Beneficiary