The Tale of an ALS Survivor #21

McFinn’s Tips and Answered Questions

1. Try to find little ways to thank your caregivers. examples: positive attitude, smiles, yummy treats, showing concern about the needs they have in life.

2. Be aware of the trauma ALS is having on you and your family, you are all in this one together. Keep alert, you may be the one to offer them support.

3. It may be easier to stay home, but take every opportunity offered to you to leave your four walls so you can experience your connection to nature and other people.

4. Read your medical records, see what your doctor is saying about you in them besides what he is telling you.This will give you more control. Knowledge is power but only when and if your ready.

5. Have a couch or bed in the living room, so if you are bed bound you can always be where the action is. I felt very lonely at times in my hospital bed in my office when people were visiting with my wife in the living room.

6. Spend sometime in front of the mirror every opportunity you have, talk to yourself and see who talks back to you, my spirit often did and I was all ears.Keep in mind your mirror may be inside you.

7. Get outside when possible and lay down on the earth, it’s a big battery and the charge is free. At least take your shoes off as often as possible and feel the earth that you were made out of. It’s not called Mother Earth for no reason.

8. Sex, don’t be shy with your partner, get as creative as you need to with your sexual desires. This is no time to be bashful. Just be aware that your needs may be different than your partner. Don’t put off the conversation. https://www.rehabmagazine.ca/healthcare/sexuality-intimacy-chronic-illness/?fbclid=IwAR0LSafZXeyv_X5e7nW9nYkzrE-py6u0Xe_k7FE1jj_2jEK1W3lQjGk4nwk

9. Got questions for the doctor. Write them down before you go so you won’t have one of those moments where you say, I forgot to ask such and such. Doctors visits take time and resources, so get the most out of every visit.Ask who ever goes with you to take notes.

10. Do not hide your disappointments, share them, we need to understand them before we can let them go.

11. Prayers are HOPE in action, take time to nourish your spiritual nature.This looks different for everyone.

Questions & Answers

1. How long was it from when you you noticed your symptoms until you felt completely healed.

September 5, 2005 was the start. I finished my last physical therapy October 2, 2007. 25 months

2.What Doctor was most helpful.

Each of them guided me to the next one I needed to see. In the end I could not have gotten as far as I did, without using every Doctor I saw.The out-of-the-box doctor that I saw was. Greg Weisswasser a Naturopathic ND. He is the one who found the very high lead level in my fat and bones through a urine chelation test.

3. How did you pick your caretaker.

I used the person closest to me, Mona, my wife, that wasn’t the best idea but I didn’t have any better idea at the moment. I’m sorry it took me so long to to realize Mona had too much on her plate, with all of the chores of the garden and running our home, just that, was enough for her. I live 35 minutes out of town in the forest, so whoever was going to be my caretaker, I needed them to live with me, that was my plan.

Since I did not have insurance that would pay for a full-time caretaker I spread the word around in my community that I needed help. I knew I was going to be responsible to train someone.The most important quality I was looking for was a compassionate person. The person I chose to become an intimate part of my life had to have a spiritual foundation. I needed to be able to share my deepest feelings with them. They also needed to be very strong so they could place me on the floor for my exercises and get me off the floor afterwards.

4. How do you believe your two spiritual healings took place.

I have no idea, I only know that I believed in them as they were happening.

5. What stopped you from taking your own life.

I planned it, but was afraid of doing it, even having the spiritual background that I do.I truly believe everything will be fine after we pass over, but taking my own life was too unnatural for me. Thank God I didn’t. This was a very personal decision,that was right for me.

6. How did you deal with depression.

I cried a lot, I got mad, I took the anti-depressant Lexapro which made me sick to my stomach and constipated. I vaporized a lot of marijuana, it relaxed my muscles and my mind. Most importantly,I talked openly about it. My imagination was the danger zone. I had too try in stay in the moment. Getting ahead of where I was in a negative frame of mind was debilitating.

7. How has your Life changed since your Healing.

I do not sweat the small things and I can deal with the rest.

I am here now to be of Service.I know the hardships folks go through on this journey, so I am here to remind them,they are not alone!!

I am in Amazement of my Healing. I have experienced my unique healing power of Prayer and Belief. That is beyond any past experience in my life and was much out of my control. So now I am looking for a way to pass on the Love, Care and Wisdom I gained thru my Challenge.

WHERE is all this Leading Me ?