Pat Quinn, Catalyst of ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, on going Beyond ALS
Embracing Loved Ones Physically and Otherwise
Cherish the little things! Live in the moment! Laugh your ass off! Say "I love you" from the bottom of your heart! (I love you Jenn Quinn!)
Give your good friends a real hug one of these days! And, if you can't lift your arms, like myself, don't worry about it! Embrace those who make life great because you both deserve it!
You are probably thinking, "Wait, why so positive? This guy just said he can't raise his arms, didn't he?"
Yes, I did!
Life With ALS
My arms are pretty much useless at this point and my hands are even worse. ALS is slowly robbing me of the ability to take care of myself. Getting dressed, eating food, and taking a shower were once daily tasks I could easily handle. In the past few weeks, these very simple things have become impossible.
No longer can I spontaneously run down to my Jeep, hop in, fly over to Taco Bell, and down a #7 and a cheesy gordita crunch. I loved that! Now, my Jeep moves when my brother is free to drive me. Don't get me wrong, my brother has been great, but the word "spontaneous" is not considered in ALS. I miss it!
The Ice Bucket Challenge: Keep Fighting ALS
I was involved with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from very early on and thought I would probably write here about that. However, I really think we all know how amazing the past few months have been for the fight against ALS and just want to say how proud I am to be a part of it.
Creating awareness was my goal from shortly after diagnosis and I'm pretty sure that happened this summer! We need to build on this momentum and never slow down. ALS doesn't stop attacking patients, so we can't stop fighting back.
And, remember if you're struggling or having a tough time, Please go back up to the top of my craziness written down here. Read that first paragraph and make one of the exclamation points happen! You won't regret it!
Pat Quinn, born and raised in Yonkers, NY, was diagnosed with ALS on March 8, 2013. Always very active and athletic, he now applies this energy to raising awareness and funds in the fight against ALS. He and his amazing wife, Jenn Quinn, know that the road ahead will be difficult, and are ready to give this disease everything they have and more.