ALS????

Today I learned that the neurologist talked to my dad yesterday and told him that the most likely diagnosis is ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). She told him this without talking to us first and without even informing us. In other words. she told an 81 year old man on a ventilator that he has a terminal illness and may never be able to breath again on his own. She told him this without a single family member being present, and without even so much as a phone call to let his family know. And he can't talk to ask any questions.

I was furious. They couldn't do the tracheotomy or the muscle biopsy without my signing a consent form, but they can deliver to him the equivalent of a death sentence without informing me before or after. I felt like saying when was I going to find out, when he spelled ALS on the alphabet board??

Anyway, I''m not convinced it's accurate anyway since several doctors had already said they had ruled out ALS. Why would she tell him such a thing without 100% certainty? Could it be that after 20 days on a ventilator and no diagnosis they thought they better write something down? They don't even have the results of the muscle biopsy yet.

OK. I'm calming down. Thanks for letting me vent. We had a nice day anyway, even though Michigan lost. He had six grandchildren, 2 children, 1 in-law, and two friends at the hospital, taking turns watching the game with him. He smiled most of the time. I think he really enjoyed all the company so much that the game results were almost irrelevant.

Please continue to pray for my dad (Richard) and our family and for an accurate diagnosis-- and, most of all, for the Lord's most perfect will to be accomplished at this most significant time in my dad's life. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the Lord.