I do not have ALS nor do I ever expect to acquire it during this lifetime. I have PLS — Primary Lateral Sclerosis — and my chances of developing ALS are 5 quadrillion to 1 — unless the fickle finger of fate his more for me than I can tolerate.

PLS is neither terminal nor painful, for most patients, whereas ALS is both. At least, I have a chance — slight as it is — of getting out of PLS.

Despite the current fad of dumping buckets of ice water over one’s head to indicate you’re making a donation to eradicate the disease (ALS). It is a noble effort — but you should look first at the facts.

ALS is not a virus. No amount of vaccine, or anti-bodies, will eliminate it.

It is caused by a brain malfunction when
certain parts of the brain react to being subjected to alterations in its operation. These abnormalities. which occur without the person even being aware they are occurring, affect people differently; some develop ALS, some get just PLS, if like me, they are lucky.

Not that I take the latter lightly. I would prefer neither, but if it’s in the cards I must be plagued with one or the other. I’m delighted to have been chosen as the host of PLS.

50 million dollars (raised so far) could be used to find these abnormalities and prevent them from occurring so randomly; it would, selfishly said, also affect we victims of PLS, which, as indicated, is a cousin of ALS — but nowhere near as serious.

This is not ebola nor polio, and we are not dealing with a bug — although the ability to walk, talk, keep one’s balance, swallow, and breathe are things we all wish were not affected. I personally have found the natural tendency to walk, stand, talk and keep moving have abandoned me the past few months.

I have begun using a cane (which is more of a nuisance than a useful aid), an electronic scooter, and a chair-lift to the 2nd floor. Let’s face it: I can no longer walk or move about worth a damn! Even using my right hand is a problem (guess which ‘handed’ I am!)

Figured out on my own — if all the people in the U.S. who have PLS agreed to donate, say, $50, my cohorts and I would see only about $2500 for our efforts — ice buckets and all! In Canada, an amount of $250 would be raised. Hardly seems worth it.




Copyright © 2014 by Robert A. Mills, all rights reserved, may not be published, nor re-written nor broadcast without author’s permission