My ALS story began early in 2009, when I began experiencing pain and loss of strength in my wrists. Simple everyday tasks, like brushing Dana's hair, starting the car ignition, and cutting food, became difficult for me. I began dropping things, and those closest to me became worried when they noticed that my speech had become slurred and slow. Jimmy took me to my primary doctor. His initial evaluation led him to rush me straight to the emergency room. He believed I was having a stroke. The emergency room immediately began putting me through a battery of tests, which all came back normal. Test after test ruled out stroke, multiple sclerosis, and brain tumors. I was discharged and sent to a neurologist for extensive neuromuscular testing. May of 2009 I was diagnosed with ALS. I had just turned 40. Jimmy and I had been married only 4 short years. Dana had just turned 3 years old. The life and family we had started to build, and all of our dreams for our future, came to a screeching halt. Thank God, my progression has been very slow. 16 years later, I still pray a treatment and a cure will be found. The world needs to be rid of this heinous disease.