Support Carole's Battle against ALS

On April 29, 2021, our mom, Carole Moore, was rushed to Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Unable to barely walk or breathe on her own, she was immediately admitted. Little did we know this would be the beginning of a long, treacherous journey.

In the blink of an eye, Cedars Sinai Intensive Care Unit (ICU) became Carole's home for the next 39 days, each day presenting a new discovery, test, or surgery for the unknown illness Carole was battling, later to be revealed as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS aka Lou Gerig's Disease). ALS is a devastating disease. There is currently no cure for ALS. It is a motor neuron disease that traps you within your own body. The spirit is willing, but the body is too weak.

The beginning stages can present differently for each person. For Carole, it was respiratory onset and weakness. She could no longer walk, talk, or breathe on her own. She was quickly intubated, had a Gl tube inserted, and a few days later a Tracheostomy. Once stable, she was transferred to Barlow Respiratory Hospital, her second home, for an additional 5 months. The goal was to wean her off the ventilator, but this proved unsuccessful because her diaphragm was too weak. She remains traeched to this day. 3 years into this journey she cannot walk, lift her arms or hands, write, feed, or bathe herself, let alone hug any of her 8 grandchildren.

Our parents, Edward and Carole Moore, have been married for almost 48 years now. Dad has been by her side every single day (except when he had back surgery in January of 2022)! My sisters and I come to support as often as possible, but it isn't enough to provide the adequate physical and emotional respite they need. Carole can never be left alone so dad had to leave his job (and insurance) behind to become mom's full-time caregiver. He just turned 70.

Fast forward, Dad’s separate battle with arthritis has now culminated in the need for hip replacement surgery; hence, he will not be able to provide the 24/7 caregiving required to support Carole with her day-to-day needs for a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks. Though costly, Carole will need private duty nursing as multiple aspects of her care require medical expertise. In the meantime, our Dad has been unable to schedule the surgery he desperately needs.

We have all exhausted our financial resources over the past 3 years. This account of the day our lives changed forever is not the complete play-by-play of everything that has happened, but we needed to give some context. That said, we ask for your prayers and encouragement.

If any part of this letter has inspired you to contribute financially, your donation of any amount would be truly appreciated! We realize not everyone is in a position to give. It may sound cliche but absolutely anything will help.

God Bless