July 24^th, 2012                                                                                                    Lou Gehrig Day                

We guessed it, no island cruise, but far from the battle I anxiously anticipated.

Friday was cool, knocking off 2 numbers….Joe Dimaggio went by in a flash, and now I sit at Lou Gehrig, #4 (sorry to my guy Luke Walton who won 2 rings wearing #4 for the Lakers). I go to Lou because he is the icon for whom Lou Gehrig’s Disease---ALS--- is named after. You may recall back a few that my first friend here in Lafayette, Matt Chaney, who dusted me on a mountain bike ride up Wildcat Canyon and throughout Tilden Park, has been suffering with ALS for 12 years now, since before we moved here. Once it came to light that Matt was going through this, he became an inspiration to Kiki Sam and I, and not long thereafter, the community as a whole. The Little League Diamonds are named after him    , he runs noon league sports programs at the grammar school, ON and ON. We joke that where else will you find 2 feeding tubes attached to two guys only 4 homes apart?!?

The jokes stop, haltingly, right there. Matt is staring down the barrel of a gun every day, I know I will pop out the other side of this, beaten, bruised, but intact.

Sam has spent lots of time up at the Chaney home to get a peek at how things can get tough, and how extra grace is often required. Matt is my idol, a musician, football player, artist, just so much going on to have this fell him. He currently rides his recumbent bike ALL OVER the place, ramping up to 50 and 60 mile rides for the ALS Association rides. Next time it comes time to donate something somewhere, make it in the cause of ALS research. I have all the vitals here and would love to help. I have worn the red “Never Give Up” wristband since diagnosis. Remember how lucky you all are.

In ten minutes, one of my work wives, Kim McAtee, will honk in the driveway and down the road I’ll go for treatment, only to come home later to expose the #3…..these are the laser type treatments going at the small spots, but my oh my, if you saw me know……

Thanks to Joan Columbini for coming over and hanging out on Sunday, to Dale in Austin for sending the Pistol Pete Maravich book, to Gail for the muffins, the Simpsons for ALL the food and rides for Sam. To all my angels, thank you for being here.

Kiki has been magnificent, blending my protein shakes with the greatest things for me in them, keeping calm when she first sees my face in the AM, and for going about the business of the house in such a way that we haven’t missed a beat.

Sam, too, has been a good boy, keeping me entertained und updated on the latest and greatest. He is challenging himself this summer with some talented guys in the DeLaSalle summer camp hoops program.

4 to go, but no celebrating, it’ll be weeks till I’m on the other side. I will keep you posted!

Cheers,

TS