Stephen and Sharon

One morning in November 2019 we were having coffee in bed and Stephen did not feel up to going to a retiree’s luncheon so I found a picture of a puppy that was available and we agreed to drive to Red Deer and interview this pup. Little did we know this was the onset of Stephen’s ALS and the beginning of a love affair with little Patch. Although Stephen’s breathing continued to deteriorate finally resulting in an ICU admission December 26 and eventual diagnosis of respiratory onset ALS in March 2020 Patch provided such joy to our lives. Stephen smiled more than in our previous 35 years of marriage. Since then, the ALS Clinic and the ALS Society, and in particular, Michelle, have provided such unwavering positivity and support. Of course COVID has impacted everyone but it terrified us with Stephen’s difficulty breathing. The ALS Society providing Stephen with a motorized scooter enabled him to go on walks with Patch and I. This way we were able to still greet neighbours and enjoy the outdoors. Since then, we have been incredibly grateful for all of the various assistive aids provided by the ALS Society that have enabled Stephen to continue living at home. We have also found lots of pleasure in reading the Louise Penny Inspector Gamashe series aloud. It is delightful to be reading a series located in Canada by such an extraordinary author.