My name is Norma Steck-Hess and it is 2 years since my diagnosis of ALS. It was a full year before my diagnosis that I sensed something was wrong, probably the symptoms started even earlier, but I chose to ignore them. Once I realized something was not quite right, being a nurse, I began to research and diagnosis my symptoms. Of course I ran the gamut of diagnosis from thrombophlebitis because of the gnawing pain in my left calf, to fibromylagia because of my increasing and continued muscular aches and pains. Restless leg syndrome was another diagnosis due to the muscle twitching and jerky leg movements and my final diagnosis was Multiple Sclerosis - ignoring ALS. In between my multiple diagnosis, I did stop to see my favorite orthopedic MD who believed it was my back (nurses are notorious for having back problems) and a MRI did confirm disc problems but by the time I developed left foot drop and had increasing episodes of losing my balance it became obvious it was time to see a neurologist. Talk about a day of infamy, it was the day that I received the diagnosis confirming that it was indeed ALS. The worst of which was telling my husband, children, family, friends and co-workers without shedding a tear. It took me at least three months to work through the emotional turmoil, realization and acceptance. I continued to work for close to a year, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult to keep up the pace at work. I made the decision to stop. It was a decision that was difficult to make and accept, because I was fortunate to work with a group of people that were exceptionally supportive of my role as a Clinical Coordinator and now my diagnosis of ALS. I realized then that I would do all I could to help find a cure for ALS which meant volunteering myself for any research study available, keeping a positive attitude, although I do become irritated and frustrated with my physical limitations, especially since I was someone who had boundless energy, so they tell me. I try to spend more time with my family, especially my three grandchildren, strengthen my inner self through my faith, take life for the most part one day at a time, laugh a lot and enjoy my loving, patient husband. I realized many years ago, working with critically ill patients, that if I did not accept my own death that I could not help patients who were faced with their own mortality. These days I spend time reading, researching and learning more about ALS. A significant portion of the information I obtain from the computer, ALS newsletters, text books, (I highly recommend Dr. Mitsumoto & Dr. Munsat's Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - A Guide for Patients and Families) and web sites. I believe that the researchers and clinicians are very close to finding a cure, the causes and treatments for ALS. I also believe that it is my responsibility (as a RN & ALS patient) and part of the fight to help these researchers and clinicians find the answers to this disease. What better way than to participate in clinical trials/studies. If it were not for these trials/studies no answers would be found to any disease. The next clinical trial I hope to be enrolling in has the option of a spinal tap. A procedure, which most people would cringe at or say no thank you. But ALS is a progressive loss of brain cells. The spinal cord is a continuation of the structure serving as a connecting link between the brain and the periphery (such as the skin and muscles). This structure contains long conducting pathways for this purpose, as well as groups of cells from which the nerve fibers going to the periphery originate. By having a spinal tap at the initiation of a clinical trial and at the end the researchers will have obtained valuable clinical information on a drug’s penetration of the cerebrospinal fluid. It is my hope that all ALS patients will be able to face the challenges of this disease with hope and dignity, that they will do all they can to help in the search for a cure by participating in clinical trials and supporting other ALS patients on this journey. Norma