There's been a few stories about ALS going around lately. I thought I'd share how odd it is that so many have just come up in the last few days. It started with a CNN story about veterans and ALS. Veterans are apparently 2 times more likely than nonveterans to develop ALS. I couldn't link to the story, but here's the text. ALS is now going to be covered by the VA automatically. It was a nice, noninformative story.
Monday morning at 7:15 a coworker mentioned that the LaCrosse Tribune had an article about farmer from Owatonna who was harvesting his last harvest, b/c of ALS. I think Mom and Dad might know them from support group. I guess the article went all over the place; the only place I could find it was at the Post Bulletin.
Monday morning at 7:40 a student I had last year in biology stopped me in the hall to say that she had thought of me. The new health teacher is teaching health! Yeahhh! She is also making them read Tuesdays with Morrie. All the juniors are walking around with the book - Their reading it!
Monday night I called Mom. Apparently Grandma had also read the article in the New Ulm Journal and was pretty upset about it. These are quotes from Tuesdays with Morrie.
Grandma, Dad and Mom, thanks for making me the person I want to be.
3 comments:
Found your blog because someone visited Think from your blog. Anyway, my grandfather died of ALS about 32 years ago. He was a WWII veteran and lived in Wisconsin near Lacrosse his whole adult life. Just curious if you know if any current research on family history, locale, etc. that our family might be interested in.
I've posted a link on my blog to the think blog. I like the idea. I think my thinkers are a bit too young for some of the projects, but one never knows. I also teach 9th grade physical science and might be able to use something in my class.
In answer to your question, I think I know as much as there is to know about ALS. There is one type that is found on the 4th chromosome and is a dominant gene. However most of it is environmental; personally I think it is chemical. ALS shows up more frequently in farmers and according to the CNN story 2x more likely in veterans. My family is not from the La Crosse area, but there seems to be enough of it around.
Just wanted you to know the farmer the article is about is the cousin of a co-worker. Thanks for sharing
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