Help Karen Fight ALS

Karen (known to many as the Quad Queen in my Vegas blog), the love of my life, has been diagnosed with ALS (aka Lou Gehrig's Disease, or MND).

ALS is a relentless terminal illness that kills the motor neurons that control muscle movement. It has already ended Karen's ability to walk, the use of her right arm and hand, and greatly limited the use of her left.

I'm Karen's partner, Eric (aka Royal Flusher aka Top Dog Bossfan). We've been together 43 years and in 2021, we had it all. We'd worked hard all our lives. We saved. We retired. We bought an inexpensive mobile home in Florida. And, we enjoyed our first snowbird winter in paradise.

In March 2022, the bottom fell out. Karen tried to sign her name one day - and found she couldn't hold the pen.

Our lives have changed completely, and the horizon that once seemed so bright and sunny is now murky and uncertain.

Karen's life has always centered around her physical being, and athletic pursuits like gymnastics, and bodybuilding. She loved to grab a shovel and take on a big landscaping project.

What makes it bearable is Karen's incredible, positive attitude.

Somehow, she's accepted the situation, and lives for the day, finding happiness wherever it may lie. She's upbeat, and generally in a good mood.

However, Karen is daunted by the idea of spending winter in the cold, dark North. She is hopeful that we can return to our retirement snowbird dream this winter. I'm committed to making that happen for her.

But we need help. Your help.

ALS, like rust, never sleeps. As Karen's abilities have diminished, we've scrambled to keep up. We've purchased all kinds of accommodative devices that we never thought we’d need. The expenses have added up quickly.

Ontario funds 2 hours of Personal Service Worker (PSW also known as a Home Health Aide) time per day and 4 hours of caregiver respite time per week. It’s not enough. Down south, we’ll pay out of pocket for every hour of PSW care needed.

My days are long as there’s not much Karen can do for herself anymore. I’m her hands, arms, and legs now. In some ways, it's the best job in the world, because we are still together, and I am able to serve. But it’s demanding, and it's tiring.

And as Karen's condition worsens, she will need additional specialized support. As much as I want to, I can't do it all.

With your help, Karen can get the most out of every day, and have the winter she deserves, one full of warmth, sunshine, and love.

We understand that you have your own budget to keep in mind. Of course, any amount, large or small, is more than welcome and deeply appreciated. Thank you for your support!