Fred Astaire He Ain't

We had the opportunity awhile back to attend Alamance County DANCING WITH THE STARS GALA.  It was a local whoop de doo and our son in law was one of the stars.  This was a fundraiser for Little Pink Houses of Hope, an organization that provides really cool beach vacations for families undergoing the stress of dealing with breast cancer. It is a very worthy cause and one I can get on board with because it is about fun, and I'm all over that.

Our dancer didn't win, because I think he just doesn't have the twerking gene, but also, one of the other stars had a secret weapon...he was a tap dancer, which blew all of the competition out of the house. It was so much fun.

On the way home though, Pat verbalized something I'd been trying to gel in my head.  He said, "This is how well organized cancer causes are. This fundraiser was so specialized.  This was for vacations.  ALS is still just trying to get research money and just get the word out."  I think the Catfish Hunter ALS closet in Raleigh has loaner beach wheelchairs if you want to borrow them.

The ALS association is doing a grand job of getting the word out.  There are walks, beer festivals and other things but compared to the behemoth that is the Susan Komen effort, we are the red headed step children of the disease front.  We're jumping up and down screaming..."LOOKY HERE LOOKY HERE!"

And again, it's all about numbers.  EVERYONE knows at least one family that has been affected by cancer. In my own family, that's probably how we're going to bite the big one.  Pat's the first person I've ever heard of other than Lou Gehrig and Steven Hawking with ALS.  But, the more we talk about it, the more the word gets out and maybe, just maybe..our grandchildren will end up twerking- or tapping- for an ALS fundraiser.   We can only hope...


http://vimeo.com/77240992



http://www.littlepink.org/dancing-with-the-stars-gala/

Support isn't just about foundation garments

The other way we made it through the shock and awe period was the support we had from family, friends and church. ALS is too scary to face alone.

If you or your spouse gets the kind of news we got, you probably already have your family sort of fixed and your friends are already pretty well established.  But if you don't have a place of worship,  GET THEE TO A CHURCH!

A church is a great place for those big family celebrations, weddings, Christenings, Anniversaries, etc.  It's also a great place to go when things don't work out quite the way you thought they should.  Someone (and I'm not naming names here, but I think we all know  to Whom I am referring ) needs to be held accountable and if you don't have a working relationship with Him, now is as good a time to start as any.  You have to put on a happy face for your friends and children, but the Big Guy knows what you know and feels what you feel so alot of time you just sit there and cry..and then you go out for lunch and if you are an Episcopalian like we are, then a glass of wine is allowed too.

If church feels not right for you then there are support groups available, on line, in person and via telephone.  If you are reading this, then you have access to a computer which means you can Google just about anything and find some sort of help. Better to reach for the mouse than that bottle of Vodka beckoning you from the other side of the room.

Here in North Carolina we have the Catfish Hunter Chapter of the ALS Association.  Nothing you do is going to change what has happened, but it can help change the way you approach this beast called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
http://webnc.alsa.org/site/PageServer/?pagename=NC_homepage

I would only caution one thing.  Be careful what you are reading, INCLUDING THIS!  If it makes you feel low, then by golly, go read the funnies.  You don't have to read every depressing thing ever written.