My Life with ALS vol. 3

I just had my 6 month check up with the Vanderbilt ALS Clinic.

For those who have never been, this is a day long appointment. You are poked and probed, pushed and pulled, scanned and analyzed in just about every way imaginable. Measuring flexibility, strength, O² levels, heart and lung capacity with max pressure.

It makes for very long day. It's not all that bad though, in between the different clinicians you have the opportunity to talk with other patients who are dealing with ALS and their care givers. Some of which you have met before and some for the first time. You also notice those who are no longer coming to the clinic.

I am happy to say that my report was great, other than a small change in mussel fade and dexterity I am still stable.

In May I was told that I would need stents in my legs (I have 90+ blockage in my right and 80+in my left) A appointment was set for the first week of June but the night before the procedure they called canceling due to a national shortage of the contrast dye needed for the procedure. I finally got a new appointment to have the procedure done on my right leg this week but while I was finishing up the pre-op interview I was called by cardiologist's office, they were canceling my appointment and changing it. Due to a scheduling conflict with a Rep from the medical equipment supplier they were sending me to another clinic to do my left leg with a laser next week and having come back to the original location at the end of the month to do the right leg.

All and all it has been frustrating but what can you do.