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A collection of thoughts on living and dying with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and the new path as a survivor.
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Kathie Ketels-Lichti...
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Defeat ALS

English - Als, Lou Gehrig's Disease, Mnd
http://dftals.wordpress.com/
Defeat ALS · 2Y ago

The Tentra Totem – A Rx for Living

The key to getting over a case of the blues is to get out of my head. I mean, I have to literally take steps to stop THINKING! About me, about my troubles, about my blues. It’s not ALL about me!! One of the best lines from the baseball movie Bull Durham is when Kevin [...]
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Defeat ALS · 2Y ago

Support Group – Strength and Knowledge in numbers

I am very fortunate to be able to attend a local ALS support group, supported by the Greater Bay Area ALSA chapter, located in Northern California. Each month, anyone from the area is welcome to share a cookie, their story, and learn firsthand about how to cope with ALS. More importantly, in my opin
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Defeat ALS · 2Y ago

Comforting words

Today marks the 4th anniversary of losing my best friend and life partner to ALS, a disease that sucks the very life out of anyone it touches.  I share this final letter from Bill, in the hopes that it will inspire ALS patients to take the time TODAY to write a similar note and say [...]
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Defeat ALS · 2Y ago

100 things, leading to a single choice

Last week, the LA times published a beautiful piece written by Martin Welsh, who is the cousin of Jared Gill, one of my fellow ALSA board members.  I was truly moved by the piece and asked Martin if he would agree to be a guest writer for DFTALS this week.  He agreed and I am thrilled [...]
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Defeat ALS · 2Y ago

Gratitude

I learned a very valuable lesson earlier this week and I want to thank you for taking me on as a willing student…and teaching me! In the past, I haven’t been good about sharing my progress and setbacks in the process of grieving. I’m not too excited by my own company, so I certainly don’t [...]
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Defeat ALS · 2Y ago

The Funk

So….I haven’t written for about a month or so. I’ve missed it, but the summer months are difficult for me. I go into a funk and climb into my “cave”, a self imposed RIF (reduction in fun) to hibernate with my grief. I lost my dad in August. I lost my husband in August. I [...]
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Defeat ALS · 2Y ago

Aftermarket add-ons for your wheelchair – Safety and Style

A while back, I wrote about the horn Bill and his brother rigged up for his motorized wheelchair. If you missed it, read “Aftermarket add-ons for your wheelchair – The Horn”.  This post is my account of a few OTHER additions made to the chair…     We got the wheelchair in early March 2005. [...]
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Defeat ALS · 2Y ago

Hey papa….I’m doin’ OK!

I no longer have men to honor on Father’s Day. Big sigh! I am incredibly grateful to my mom who had to step up way too early to fill both roles when my dad was killed in 1986. She is awesome! I spent the weekend with friends and strangely, my dad and both of my [...]
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Defeat ALS · 2Y ago

Learning to Laugh

ALS has taught me to laugh. Really laugh…from your belly until you start crying…laugh! And…I’m so very grateful! There are so many scary, crappy, outrageous, ridiculous, sad, terrifying, (name that emotion) moments with ALS. With that said, there are also a lot of really funny (slapstick comedy) mom
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Defeat ALS · 2Y ago

Truly Living, an essay by Julia Miller

Angels are delivered to us every day. Sometimes we know…and sometimes we don’t. We were fortunate to receive help from EXTRA HANDS FOR ALS, founded by ALS patient Jack Orchard and his wife. Matt Nevitt and Julia Miller were the students who came every Monday for about 6 months to be with Bill and me
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