Good morning, everyone.
Iāve been in a bit of a funk since the marathon. That weekend felt like the big climactic event of the year ā or maybe the marathon was the dessert and Alex and Nicoleās wedding was the main course. Either way, both moments were huge for me, and when I look at photos and videos, the emotions still wash over me š„². Beautiful, overwhelming, and memorable!
Lately, I feel like Iām canceling more opportunities than Iām saying yes to.
Good morning, everyone!
Happy belated birthday, Lynn M. š
Lynn is a friend we met through Camp Osoha in Boulder Junction, WI ā an all-girls camp our daughters attended for many summers. Each summer session was six weeks long, and the camp was truly something special. Sadly, it closed years ago after a tragic accident, but while it was running it shaped generations of young girls into strong, confident women.
Good morning, friends and family.
This ALS progression is really starting to hit hard. No matter what I do, I come out of every activity needing a break. It can be something as simple as brushing my teeth and getting dressed in the morning. Moving from one room to another seems to suck up all the oxygen in the house, and I end up winded, sitting there trying to catch my breath.
Good morning, everyone.
Yesterday was a better day. Iāll admit, I did a little sulking in the morning about missing the Michigan trip. But by the afternoon, the sun was out, and I decided to do the next best thingāget outside and soak up some vitamin D the natural way. I probably should take vitamin D supplements for how little I get outside but honestly, Iām already running a daily pharmaceutical pill dispensary.
Good morning, friends and family.
Yesterday, I was up and moving right alongāgetting ready for the road trip to Michigan to see the college crew. Keep in mind, my version of āgetting readyā means getting myself cleaned up, dressed, and fedāthe bare minimum to be road-trip ready. Cindy, on the other hand, handles everything else: packing, hauling suitcases, and gathering all the ALS gear. So yeah, Iāve got the easy part every time we go somewhere.
Good morning! Weāre off to Michigan this morning.
This two- to three-hour drive will be a good test for my butt and the various cushions weāve accumulated. Iāve got very little padding left back there, and Iām starting to resemble the Sexton (maternal) side of the family. My aunts and uncles never had much meat on their bones either, so I imagine their backsides were just as sore on long car ridesā¦especially in their later years.
Good morning, everyone.
Last weekend in Octoberāhard to believe weāre already sliding into the holidays.
This weekend is a college get-together on the shore of Lake Michigan in Union Pier, Michigan. Iām really looking forward to seeing everyone. The party officially starts today, but weāre waiting until tomorrow to join the group. Thereās something about getting together with college friendsā¦ itās like you never left campus.
For me, this trip will be a bit more subdued than past reunions.
Good morning, and welcome to a new day.
Overnight the respirator behaved beautifullyā¦no frightening bursts of air, no near-suffocations, and no gurgling noises. Just a steady, peaceful exchange of air all night. Now I just need to confirm if Cindy agrees with that assessment.
Iāve started noticing that my nighttime movement has become very limited. When I wake up, Iām usually in the exact same position I fell asleep in. Thatās new for me.
Good morning, all!
Itās way too early. The house is chilly, and Iām sitting by the fire wrapped in a quilt. Iām so thankful for these handmade giftsāthey really take the edge off cool mornings.
It was another restless night with the NIV (non-invasive ventilator). Things started out fine, but around 2:00 a.m. I woke up flat on my back, and the NIV was blasting air like a leaf blower. I felt a rattle in my throat and tried to cough it outābut my cough is already weak and pathetic.
Good morning, all!
Yesterday I mentioned Ordinary Grace, the book that showed up in the mail. As it turns out, my cousin Mark already has the same book sitting on his table, waiting to be read. What are the odds weād pick up the same title at the same timeāespecially since itās been out since 2013? Iām looking forward to diving in once I finish one thatās ahead of it on my list: Look Closer by David Ellis, our current college book club pick.
Good morning.
Itās definitely looking like fall outsideācool air, color in the trees, and the sound of leaves crunching under tires.
Although, in classic Midwest fashion, our A/C decided to kick on yesterday. Nothing like a blast of cold air to wake you up from a good nap. Only a few day ago, if I didnāt like the temperature in the house, Iād just grab my phone and adjust the thermostat.
Good morning, all!
I was watching the news and saw a story about a New Jersey high school that canceled its homecoming dance because of low ticket sales. That one made me stop and think. Low ticket sales? Wow. Back in the day, homecoming was a main event. Of course today, with social media and everybody being connected by technology these are very divergent experiences separated by 50 years.
I started high school as a pretty shy kidāor at least thatās how I saw it.
Good morning, blog readers.
As we grow up, we watch people and we learn from them. Kids are like clayāmolded by what they see and experience. We pick up good habits and not-so-good ones, and all of itāalong with a little luckāhelps shape who we become.
A Bad Habit Learned Both my parents smoked, and at some point, I decided to sneak a cigarette from one of their packs. I must have been around 12 or 13.
Good morning, everyone!
Itās the end of a quiet week, and yesterday I finally felt recovered from the marathon weekend. Itās was a good feeling to reach the afternoon and not need a nap. Althoughā¦Iāll admit I spent most of the morning reading in bed. Sometimes by the time I finish getting ready for the day, Iām already worn out, so I just stay upstairs and read for a couple of hours and recharge.
Good morning.
Happy Birthday, Mary Ann! šš„³š
Looking ahead to next yearāthe Chicago Marathon is set for October 11, 2026. I canāt believe Iām saying this, but Alex has already reached out to ALS United to lock in a spot. Heās got his sights set on breaking the 4-hour mark, which is a tough goal but absolutely doable.
Nowās the time to commit! If youāre even thinking about running, send an email to Sarah Brandt at Sarah@alsunitedchicago.
Good morning everyone.
Happy Birthday to my youngest brother, Nick! šš„³šš¾
Andā¦Happy Birthday to Trish Z! šš„³šš¾
Yesterday I was updating my Facebook page with some photos from the marathon. Between the Andyās Army shirts and me sitting in a wheelchair, it became pretty clear that something had changed with my health. Within an hour, the questions started coming ināpeople asking why I was in a wheelchair.
When I was diagnosed with ALS on August 13, 2024, it hit Cindy and me like a freight train.
Good morning!
Weāre back home, and I feel as mentally and physically exhausted as I did after Alex and Nicoleās wedding last month. What a weekend! I owe many people thanks for making this yearās marathon such a huge success.
Lis and Steve drove down from Minocqua to pick up Cindy and me in Crystal Lake and bravely took on Chicago traffic. Theyāre seasoned city driversāyears of experience in D.C. paid off.
Good morning, fans.
Itās the day after the Chicago Marathon, and thereās so much to talk aboutāyet I hardly know where to begin.
A year ago, four runners made a commitment to do something meaningful for me after my ALS diagnosis. That was no small challenge. You donāt just wake up one day and run a marathonāit takes months of training, early mornings, and sheer willpower.
Yesterday, on a chilly, cloudless morning, this group lined up at the startāready to put an exclamation point on their promise and give us all a day to remember.
Good morning! Itās race day!
The runners are up and on their way to the starting corrals. Now comes the classic marathon morning routineāhurry up and waitātrying to calm the nerves, fight off the chill, and make that final bathroom stop at the last possible moment.
I keep thinking about a comment from last nightās ALS United dinner:
āYou have the opportunity to run where others cannot, so enjoy yourself out there and take in the whole experience.
Good morning, blog readers and marathon participants.
One day until the Chicago Marathon!āØFundraising total for Andyās Army stands at $58,902 ā what an incredible achievement for this team.
A big thank-you to our four runners ā Nikki, Alex, Meghan, and Michael ā for their commitment to run, and another heartfelt thank-you to everyone whoās donated to ALS United.
How It All Began We were in St. Maarten last December when the kids first came up with the idea of running the Chicago Marathon.