A Placebo Is Not Enough.

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In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Placebo Effect,” If you could create a painless, inexpensive cure for a single ailment, what would you cure and why?

Without a doubt, I’d choose ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.  It is such an insidious disease, and one of my greatest fears is not being able to breathe or swallow. When I was in my twenties, I had an older friend who contracted it.  He was a lovely, warm, funny man who was a teacher in the same school I taught in.  I think it was probably the first time I’d heard of the disease.  Probably the first time I’d heard of Lou Gehrig, as well, as I’ve never been a sports fan.  It was so painful to see how quickly my friend Bill deteriorated and since then it seems as though the disease has become much more widespread.  It would tie with Alzheimer’s as my most feared disease, but since I’ve already written two posts on my sister’s Alzheimer’s, (Read one HERE,) I guess this fear wins out this time.

This is one of those topics where there is no possibility of a humorous or lighthearted answer. Rhyming wouldn’t help and the subject seems too grim for even poetry.  My answer is as straightforward as I wish a cure could be.  I’m sure there will always be diseases.  When one is tackled, nature seems to think up another to take its place; but it is hard to conceive of one more heartbreaking than ALS.

11 thoughts on “A Placebo Is Not Enough.”

  1. Audrey Zikmund's avatarAudrey Zikmund

    Thank you Judy….this one caught my eye. As you know my husband died from ALS. It attached his diaphragm. He lived for three years struggling for every breath.

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  3. Anna Sime's avatarAnna Sime

    I,too,have experienced the fear of ALS. Two of my father’s siblings died of ALS. A friend in my Illinois years died of ALS and then, here in Mexico, my new friend died of ALS. I think of him every time I go hiking as he was my hiking buddy. I no longer fear it for myself but there were many years when I thought I was going to be one of its victims. Thanks, Judy.

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    1. lifelessons's avatarlifelessons Post author

      I hope we are just more aware of the disease and that there actually aren’t more cases than there used to be. Thanks for commenting, Anna. Think of me when you pass my house and get barked at!

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  5. Pingback: Hope cures old wounds | Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis & Me

  7. Elouise's avatarElouise

    Hi, Judy. I know this is an older post, but I couldn’t help clicking on ALS in your category list. My sister Diane died in 2006 after 10 years of living with ALS. My years of visiting her were some of the most bitter-sweet of my life. Also immensely formative when I look back. She was one of three sisters. I still talk with her regularly–my guide who’s gone ahead, and understands me better than any of my family of origin. Thanks for visiting my blog today! 🙂
    Elouise

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