Hi, I am Larry Ballowe and I was diagnosed with ALS in August of 2006. The last three and a half years have been very different for my family, my friends, and myself.
A year before I was diagnosed, I would start most days kissing my wife goodbye as she headed off to work, and then I would get in a three mile run and a ten mile bike ride before I steered the kids towards school and headed off to work myself. I was 45 years old and had never been seriously ill a day in my life except for this nagging weakness in a couple of fingers in my right hand that make it difficult to play the piano.
Fast forward to today, we still get up early (5 am to be exact) but my loving wife (Laurie) has to do everything for me. She gets up and using a hoyer lift gets me out of bed into my wheelchair, brushes my teeth and bathes me, gets me dressed, feeds me through my feeding tube and gets me set up in our family room for one of our devoted friends who will volunteer their entire day caring for me. My wife then gets herself ready for a full day on the job. She or my children (Ben and Katie) will arrive back home later in the day after work or school to relieve our friends and wonderful caregivers to resume my care.
I am very THANKFUL for the support of my devoted family and friends. I am dependent on them for my every need, from itching my nose to lifting me into bed every night, they are truly my hands and feet. I am very blessed and would be lost without them. I am thankful to be alive and I hope and pray for a cure in my lifetime.
I would appreciate your support at the walk and your donations to fund research for a cure and care for those who have my disease but do not have support. THANK YOU so very much for your support, prayers and love !!
February 2016
This note was written by my husband, Larry Ballowe in 2009. Sadly he passed away in April of 2010. Larry was an inspiration to all of us that were blessed to know him as we experienced him LIVING with ALS. This disease robbed him of many physical abilities but not his love for The Lord, his family and friends. ALS couldn't steal his wit or sense of humor!
We WALK in support of the ALS association to Honor the Memory of Larry Ballowe and to continue working towards a cure for this horrific disease! Thank you so very much! God Bless You!