Saturday, January 3, 2009

Outrageous ideals

The following was written in objection to a petition recognizing ALS on July 4th the anniversary of Lou Gehrig's famous speech. My response follows. I am sharing this not to drum up support for the petition or ALS for that matter but to highlight the need for us as a country and individuals to examine what our ideals truly mean. You can view the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/122296/petition.html

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His objection:

I think this is utterly ridiculous
The 4th of July is or should be kind of sacred for our country and not used as a poor box request
Your organization makes a mockery of people begging for money
Your pain is regrettable but get a grip
There are people more in need than you
Leave our independence day alone
Maybe you should pick another day like Christmas or Thanksgiving or possibly New Year's day
We get e mails asking for money or housekeeping or babysitting help
That is what family is for
Rethink this request and take care of your own

Mariolive D.Landon
Tennessee

THIS IS MY RESPONSE:

Dear Mr. Landon,

I read your objection to a recognition of ALS on July 4th with awe at the enormous ignorance that you displayed about what ALS is or even no reading of the petition apparently since you seem to not realize that July 4th was only chosen because it's the anniversary of Lou Gehrig's famous speech. He died from his ALS less than 2 years later. While I understand an objection based on a patriotic argument (I don't see how recognizing ALS would diminish the holiday but I would prefer a different date only to have more of a spotlight on ALS) but I do not understand the vile language you use to defend your position. Certainly from different perspectives there are others who are equally in difficult circumstances but for you to say "Your organization makes a mockery of people begging for money. Your pain is regrettable but get a grip. There are people more in need than you." and "We get e mails asking for money or housekeeping or babysitting help." are so ignorant that you're either a deliberately cruel person or one not the dumbest people I have had the misfortune to come across.

I have had ALS for over 15 years now and over 11 of those years on trach ventilation. Exactly who would you say are so much worse off than those with ALS? It strikes individuals without warning and because of no inappropriate action of the person (like smoking, drinking, over eating etc.) often taking an agonizing six months to a year to be diagnosed. It strikes as young as teenagers to the old. Once the condition starts it begins a relentless assault on the persons physical body with death occurring in less than a year for some with 50% dead within 3 years of diagnosis to 90%+ dead within 5 years. Death however is not the worst of this disease and for many is a wonderful relief from their agonizing journey with ALS. Some of the highlights of my journey: unexpectedly falling with my face stopping the fall because I was unable to blunt the fall with my arms since they were weak which occurred many times including in the middle of a mall; becoming weak to where I couldn't feed myself or hold a cup so primarily my wife had to start feeding me like an infant; having my pants fall to my ankles in the middle of the freezer section of the grocery store which I was unable to bend over to pull them up having to call my wife who happened to be in another aisle; at first needing assistance to bathe or get on/off the toilet to becoming totally dependent on my wife to put me on a bedpan and wipe my ass when I am done; seeing my ability to speak go from someone who gave speeches before 5000 people to someone sounding like when they're at the dentist to someone who can't be understood but by only a handful of family members as I drool all over myself; having a itch you can not scratch or a bug biting you as you try to get someone's attention to kill it; going from someone who enjoyed an active life to becoming a quadriplegic on a ventilator who has been unable to even hug my daughters for 11+ years; getting to watch other fathers coach their kids or carry their kids on their shoulders or dance with their daughters at a wedding as all I can do is watch from my confinement in a wheelchair. Yes you're right we are so much better off than most.

Even though most have taken every responsible step they could have in regards to having insurance, savings etc. the financial devastation inflicted on us and our families is as bad as the physical devastation. I was dropped from my health insurance within six months of my being unable to work and forced into the Medicare system. This causes an unbelievable strain on the family as I can not work and since my wife became my primary caregiver she can not work. This lead to bankruptcy like most face with long-term diseases and the loss of our home as we are forced into the Medicaid system. But yeah you're right we are so unreasonable to seek some recognition and help.

The most infuriating part of your assumption is that in some way our families have to step up more, how dare you in ANY WAY imply this!!! My wife, who like most ALS caregivers, has given so much of herself in dedication to my care that she's put her health on the line. She has in an extremely conservative estimate saved the system well in excess of a million dollars. What is her thanks for this dedication? A student loan that has gone from $20,000 to over $70,000 because she has not been able to work. Further because of jerks who think like you especially under the Bush administration, the extremely limited assistance to give her some relief has been taken away and they ask her to do more and more. I know it is ridiculous we have to come begging for crumbs (1/one millionth of what the government has given just to AIG or the Iraqi's) because my wife and other's like her should be turning down an over abundance of assistance and there should be adequate medical research (I am not even talking about the same amount that the government has spent building a stadium for a billionaire owner and millionaire players called the Tennessee Titans). Please sir may we have some more gruel.

Take your false patriotism, sanctimonious attitude and ideals that say no help for those who need it because family should do it attitude (yet everyday you walk by a starving family in need who are your family) and crawl back under the rock from which you came. We have seen where your type of ideals have lead this country and we reject them for what they truly mean, stepping over your brother as he lay bleeding to death under your feet! No more!

Jeff Lester
Missouri

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