"Fighting" ALS

In writings about cancer and many other diseases, there is talk about fighting because fighting is associated with the possibility of recovery (i.e. beating the disease). I think ALS is different. The literature on exercise for ALS patients is divided between those who believe active exercise can prolong life and those who believe that such exercise can accelerate muscle decay. For me the key is conserving strength. I’m not proud, I’m not stubborn, I’m quintessentially pragmatic. For example, I didn’t fight going into a wheelchair, I embraced it. My philosophy is that as PALS we should “navigate” through ALS, avoiding the rocks, shoals, and sandbars that mark our trip. The end point is the same, but getting there in the right way makes quality of life bearable and even extends life expectancy. We should leave fighting to the researchers. The problem is there are only 5,000 new cases every year. Until a marker is found for ALS, the big pharmaceutical companies won’t choose to spend money on treatments.