Posted on 01/06/2011 1:32:39 PM PST by massmike
Paul Cellucci, the former Massachusetts governor and U.S. ambassador to Canada, announced today he has a relatively slowly progressing case of Lou Gehrigs disease.
"Ive had symptoms for four years," the 62-year-old Cellucci said in a statement to The Associated Press. Despite some weakness, he said, "I am feeling quite well."
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, attacks the brain and spine and usually is detected after muscle weakness. It progresses to complete paralysis, is incurable and is always fatal.
Each year the disease, nicknamed for the New York Yankees player who died of it, kills about 5,000 Americans.
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
It’s incurable. I don’t think the life span is long after diagnosis, but I’m no expert on this horrible disease.
I didn’t remember that Hawking had ALS and didn’t know one could survive that long with it. How long did Gehrig live with it. It wasn’t long, was it?
Wasn’t Hawking the one advocating starvation for poor Terri Schiavo, or was it Christopher Reeve?
I don’t think Gehrig lasted very long. Sad that. I don’t know how/why Hawking is hanging on. Must be a different form of the disease.
In very rare instances, people like Hawking can live decades, but those cases are literally one in a million. There is no cure for that disease.
Prayers go out to Gov. Cellucci and his family.
hawking lives because he can afford one on one care and has a trach with a ventilator....IIRC....
One of the worst possible diseases to have - your mind remains sharp, but your ability to move and take care of yourself slowly disappears (or rapidly for some).
Except for cases like Stephen Hawking, the life expectancy typically is less than 10 yrs.
Prayers to Gov. Cellucci.
What were all the deleted comments and what jerk was responsible for them?
He was diagnosed in 1939 and died in 1941 I think.
The radio folks didn't seem too interested. Afterall, he's a Republican.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.