I have heard lots of mixed emotions about the ALS ice bucket challenge. I agree that there is a lot of viral hype and wish there was more education, BUT I also think that it is a brilliant fundraiser! I am so excited that the ALS community has raised MILLIONS of dollars in research money, and that the research might one day lead to a cure for this cruel and fatal disease. Some people wonder why there has to be so much hype, and why there cant just be donations. The answer is simple, people will not donate without a personal connection. The hype has allowed this to be a hugely successful campaign and millions of people are talking about it. The ALS community really benefits from the donations and awareness the campaign is spreading! It makes me happy to see a wonderful cause getting so much attention. It also gives me hope that maybe one day my kids can benefit from a powerful and effective campaign too. Isabella is aware of the campaign and has watched some of the videos, she has asked to do the ice bucket challenge too. I am excited about her enthusiasm, but want my kids to know more about ALS first so that they truly understand the importance. Tomorrow I am going to spend some some more time talking to them about ALS, and this weekend they will be accepting the ice bucket challenge! For everyone else, here is some information about ALS, it is a neurodegenerative disease, and neurodegenerative disease is Isabellas primary diagnosis!-- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrigs Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed. A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. A means no or negative. Myo refers to muscle, and Trophic means nourishment–No muscle nourishment. When a muscle has no nourishment, it atrophies or wastes away. Lateral identifies the areas in a persons spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening (sclerosis) in the region. As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement. Early symptoms of ALS often include increasing muscle weakness, especially involving the arms and legs, speech, swallowing or breathing. When muscles no longer receive the messages from the motor neurons that they require to function, the muscles begin to atrophy (become smaller). Limbs begin to look thinner as muscle tissue atrophies. What Types of Nerves Make Your Body Work Properly? Nerves in ALS- The body has many kinds of nerves. There are those involved in the process of thinking, memory, and of detecting sensations (such as hot/cold, sharp/dull), and others for vision, hearing, and other bodily functions. The nerves that are affected when you have ALS are the motor neurons that provide voluntary movements and muscle power. Examples of voluntary movements are your making the effort to reach for the phone or step off a curb; these actions are controlled by the muscles in the arms and legs. The heart and the digestive system are also made of muscle but a different kind, and their movements are not under voluntary control. When your heart beats or a meal is digested, it all happens automatically. Therefore, the heart and digestive system are not involved in ALS. Breathing also may seem to be involuntary. Remember, though, while you cannot stop your heart, you can hold your breath - so be aware that ALS may eventually have an impact on breathing.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 01:29:41 +0000
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