Hi! Thank you so much for reading up on Terry's story. It means the world to us.

Terry, despite being in some sort of odd nerve pain nearly her entire life, is always in the best spirits. She is always smiling, laughing, and present with those she loves. But physically, she always felt an uncomfortable sensation in her body. Doctors throughout the years determined this pain as Fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other diagnoses-- but only recently have they discovered the real, unfathomable cause.

On October 31, 2024, Terry was diagnosed with ALS.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, progressive disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. ALS is 1.5x more common in men than women.

Okay-- now that the hard facts are out of the way, I (Terry's granddaughter, Alexis) will speak more frankly. As a family, we are scared. And we can only imagine how Terry feels, being the one who actually has to go through this. We are heartbroken, sad, angry, and a whole range of other emotions. It's, of course... simply not fair. It isn't fair to anyone, and it isn't fair to Terry-- a hilarious, loving mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, animal lover almost to a fault (you should see the amount of stray cats she saves), spouse, and more.

So, what now? Well, as most things in life, the intense medication and new lifestyle that ALS is requiring of us and Terry is VERY expensive, as well as physically and emotionally draining. Just over the last few weeks, she has had to transition to a hospital bed to keep her more comfortable, and we will be needing to look into new devices such as a motorized wheelchair and handicapped accessible van, among other items that will improve her quality of life.

We are asking for help. Any help anyone could provide- and there is no shame in that. We want Terry to be as happy and as comfortable as she possibly can be. It sucks-- HARD-- to have to even be typing this out, but the cards have been dealt, and Terry has STILL not let anything deter her from being happy, kind, and most importantly, herself.

If you've read all the way to the bottom here, please know we truly, TRULY appreciate absolutely everything. We appreciate you reading this. We appreciate you sharing this with all your own friends and family. We appreciate any and every donation.

Thank you for listening to Terry's story,

The Johnston & Hartwick Family <3