Some may say what a tragic set of circumstances, others may feel sorry for me…. But I look at this journey as a blessing.

Before my mom, Verna Criner, was diagnosed in 2000, I had absolutely no idea what ALS was, except that it was called Lou Gehrig's Disease. I was about to see first hand what it was and how it would take the most important woman ,my mother, away from me in 18 short months.

I remember in the beginning of the disease, mom would joke about how she would wander when she walked, walking a straight line was becoming more and more difficult.  And then walking would become more and more difficult, then there would be no more walking,  she would be confined to a wheel chair. I wasn't ready to lose my mom at age 39, how would I figure out life's problems without her?  My mom passed away April 5, 2002. 

During the last 6-9 months of my mom's life, my sister Tami Criner Kidd, started displaying weird symptoms, she had crazy muscle spasms in her hands, she would trip and fall when walking, her feet were becoming heavy…… It couldn't be happening again, could it? Again, how was I to survive without my best friend, my only sibling,  Tami was diagnosed in April 2003 with ALS. It would then be determined that mom and Tami had what they call "Familial ALS", it was hereditary.

I remember the day Tami called me with her test results, I can still hear her voice say, "I have ALS just like mom did." Again. I felt like someone had just punched me in the stomach, not able to say a word, and trying not to start sobbing, I told her we would get through this. The worst part for my sister, was she was leaving her children, would never see them grow up…..proms, dating, graduating and someday marrying. It's not supposed to be like this.   Tami survived almost 5 years from her diagnosis, even though mom and Tami had the very exact type of ALS, their symptoms and how long they lived were completely different. Familial ALS is only approximately 10 percent of all ALS  cases and diagnosis. I was involved in a Study at Emory ALS research after my sister died. The study was for anyone who had 2 or more family members who had been diagnosed with Familial ALS, to give blood to be tested. I always said I didn't want know, because it was just too scary. To know if I was going to die was hard to grasp. It took a month to get my results back, longest month of my life. I found out my results, deep breath, "You don't have ALS" the genetic counselor told me. I have never had tears shoot out of my eyes before, not able to speak, I was relieved. But I also felt guilty, that I had been spared, I guess they call it survivors guilt. It has taken me years to overcome feeling guilty of my life be spared, but this is where The Journey was to start happening.

I started volunteering at ALS United of Georgia in 2003, and have been on Walk ALS Georgia committee ever since. I also volunteer at Emory ALS Clinic 2 times a month. Seeing the patients through volunteering has been instrumental in my healing process,  it's hard to mend a broken heart, twice.. I have been thanked by patients at clinic, for taking time out to volunteer, who are not going to survive this disease, but in turn I want to thank them for helping me heal. . But maybe the bigger picture is  I can  help make a difference by volunteering, raising money for research and patient care. I will keep on fighting for those who have lost their battle with ALS and for those still fighting.

It never gets easier… its just each day is different.

Tana Criner

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When someone you love gets diagnosed with ALS, the first thing you ask is what can I do to help? For many people like me, the answer is to participate in Walk ALS Georgia, which raises awareness and money to support Georgians living with ALS.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neuromuscular disease that slowly robs a person of the ability to walk, speak, swallow, and breathe. It can strike anyone and, although there has been a lot of advancements in ALS research, we still don’t know what causes it. An ALS diagnosis is fatal because there is no cure.

I am walking so that, one day, when Georgians hear the words, “You have ALS,” it will no longer mean that they likely will die within two to five years. I am walking so that Georgians living with ALS today know that they are not alone. I’m walking to assure that when they need help, they will be able to get it from ALS United of Georgia. I am walking to give them hope.

You may not know anyone with ALS, but you do know me, and I am asking for your support. Will you please consider joining me to make strides in the fight against ALS? You can join our team or make a gift to support our team. Either way, with your help, we can enhance the lives of people living with ALS, every day until we find a cure.