hi to you all.

this entry is from Eric's mom. Eric's dad and I took Eric to Detroit on Wed. to talk on the radio station,WMUZ on the Bob Douca show. they were told they had five minuts to talk and that is what they,got. Eric was asked what his first signs were that he had ALS As you all know it started in his right arm, from there it went to his left arm them to his legs,neck. He has the most amazing shine on his face all the time.

After the radieo show we met with Amy Whipple who is with als tdi, Midwest Regional, she is the director for the mid west. what amazing lady, she had so much information for Eric.

Eric asked me to do this and I have no idea what to say. I was glad we could spend the time with Eric.



As you all know we have three chrilden and we are so proud of all of them.

VICTORY THIS WEEK!

Victory! Senate Passes the ALS Registry Act, the United States Senate passed the ALS Registry Act!! Thanks to your outreach, we have just won a huge victory for people with ALS and their families across the country. We have made a difference! The bill now heads to the House, which is expected to quickly agree to the Senate version, which included technical changes made during the legislative process. We will keep you updated as the bill moves toward enactment into law. Also, It's Official!!!VA to Grant Benefits to All Veterans with ALS
We did it! Tomorrow, September 23, the Veterans Administration will publish regulations officially establishing ALS as a service connected disease! Effective immediately, all veterans with ALS will now have access to the highest level of VA benefits without having to prove that their disease was caused by service in the military. This is a tremendous victory for all veterans and is the culmination of years of work by The Association, our VA Issue Team and veterans across the country. It is clear that our outreach - testifying before Congress, partnering with the VA, advancing research to identify the connections between ALS and military service and educating the public about this issue - have paid off. The Association has championed legislation (H.R. 5454) that would have established ALS as a service connected disease. However, thanks to our efforts at Advocacy Day and throughout the year, this legislation no longer is needed! ALL Veterans with ALS Eligible for Benefits This new policy means that ALL veterans with ALS will receive the benefits they need, deserve and have earned. Importantly, it is broad in scope and applies to all veterans diagnosed with ALS regardless of when or where they served and regardless of when they were diagnosed with the disease following service in the military. A summary of the regulation can be found here. The text of the regulation is available here.Tomorrow and in the coming days, The ALS Association will post additional information about the regulation, including answers to frequently asked questions, an overview of benefits available to veterans with ALS, as well as guidance veterans can use to obtain service connected veterans benefits.The ALS Association would like to thank VA Secretary James Peake, Congressman Henry Brown (R-SC) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for their efforts to work with us and the ALS community in support of veterans across the country. We also would like to thank all veterans with ALS whose outreach to Congress has helped make this important benefit possible.Additional information will be available on our website on September 23. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Advocacy Department at advocacy@alsa-national.org.
Congratulations to everyone!

A good belly laugh

Sorry for being so long between updates. Eric and the other 9 men arrived safely home on Sunday around 4:00 pm after a very long drive home from Nebraska. He will write about the trip soon. He had an incredible time of bonding with these guys and is so glad he went. The time went by fast for us here at home since we were sleeping most of the time they were gone. Zach had his first football game on Saturday in the continuous rain which I video taped under my umbrella for Eric to see. Their team "the Gators" won and Zach didn't even care that he was soaked from head to toe. It was a great rainy Saturday stomping in puddles. This week has been pretty steadily busy with Dr. appointments and home visits. We get Eric's new electric wheelchair tomorrow morning and will trade it for the loaner we currently have. It is a Permobil C300 and can do just about anything.
Our daughter Madison has been saying things lately that have made us bust up laughing. She is learning that it is good to make people laugh and we are not laughing at her in jest, but because she makes us smile. Here are a few of her latest. I have been getting these little holes in my shirts from wearing them out in the wash and she said "maybe you are getting too big for your clothes" Eric just busted a gut, me not so much. It reminded me of the time when Zach was little and he asked my grandma why she had all the cracks in her lips and my grandpa couldn't stop laughing. Then today we were talking about marriage and I told her that I married my boyfriend and she said "and then you married daddy" Even the table next to us at Wendy's was laughing at that. Then when I opened my sour cream for my potato and squirted it out, it shot out the top and sprayed my neck and front ot my shirt and we all started laughing uncontrollably. We went to the mall tonight and got the kids Build a Bear's with Eric's voice in them and had a lot of fun just hanging out as a family. Hope you are all having a great week!
Blessings,
Lori

P.S. a few of you have been wondering if I am sleeping better on our new bed and I adjusted to the new bed in less than a week and we love it! Just wish I could sleep longer!! Zach gets up for school now at 6:30 a.m!

"I LOVE A GOOD CRY"

It has been a while since I updated the blog, Lori has been keeping it updated the best she can. Thank you for taking time to read about what we are going through it is not easy, but your love and prayers are felt & appreciated. We have been truly blessed in so many ways during this season of our lives, but many fighting this disease are not as fortunate. Please pray for all those who are suffering from this awful disease. We a relatively relaxing week last week adjusting to the school schedule and football practices. Last Saturday night was amazing night. I was given the opportunity to speak and share my faith in an auditorium at Aquinas College before the Tuesdays with Morrie play. The play was so well done and was about Professor Morrie Schwartz battle with ALS and his relationship with Mitch Albom, one of his students. Many of you have read the book or seen the movie, but Lori and I had never done either. What made it special was having both of our parents there along with some of our friends to share the powerfully emotional experience with us. It was a chance for us all to release our tears together about this horrible reality we face and as Morrie says “I love a good cry”.
One thing that I found missing from his life was the definite presence of Christ in his life. He was actually an agnostic at the beginning of the play. He referenced God and angels, but not what Christ did for his eternal security. We have hope only in Christ and his promises for all of us. One thing I really took away from the play among many was the quote “When I am taking, I feel like I’m dying but when I give of myself, I feel like I am living”. This is how I feel. I cannot sit back and let this disease take my life and only sit back and take from everyone. I need to have purpose by giving to others and sharing hope and the inspiration that only comes from God in ways that He has equipped me to feel like I have something to live for. The play was to benefit the ALS Association and there was a silent auction beforehand. They raised over 5,000 last we heard. We were outbid on a Michigan State basket with a signed basketball we were trying to get for Zach and after the play, this couple came up to us and said they wanted us to have it! What a blessing for them to do that and they don’t even know us. We were overwhelmed with gratitude. Another God moment was meeting the author of the book Lori is reading (Shelly Beach of the caregiver devotional called, Precious Lord, Take my Hand) Lori has quoted some of her late night readings from her book on the blog. We were able to meet the cast (only two people as pictured above) and tell them what a great job they did. Overall, a wonderful evening. Thank you to the Klumpps for watching our kids all night.

Prayer Requests are for me and the 9 men riding in an RV to Nebraska on Friday night straight through to see a Huskers football game and then returning home Sunday. Pray for safe travel and rest and a great time of fellowship. Lori thinks I am a little nuts but she is looking forward to some down time from caregiving and thrilled that the guys are willing to help me out.

Also, we had a meeting with our rep for the VA specially adapted housing grant we got who was an awesome Christian man. After meeting with him for six hours on Monday, we were overloaded with information and very strict criteria that needs to be met to get approval by Cleveland which takes a minimum of four to six months to get the green light. Please pray that God will give us wisdom in how to proceed at this point. Please pray that our house would sell soon so the decisions and timing will be easier to make. As this information has sunk in, we are feeling very discouraged about the grant we were so excited about last week. We know God still has a plan for us and we want to follow His will so pray that we will hear His voice loud and clear.

If anyone would like to walk with us this year in the Walk to D’Feet ALS on October 11th at John Ball Zoo, please contact Matt or Stephanie Kucinski at mkucinski@hotmail.com or 616-307-7429.

Have a blessed week.

Eric

School has begun!

We had our first day of school today and the kids did great! One small error on the bus stop for Zach so he missed his bus and I drove him, but other than that they had a great first day. It sure was hot though (in the 90's) and no A/C at school. Looking forward to cooler weather again.
We had a great weekend and went to Holland State Park and did family pictures with my dad (a very talented, retired photographer) We also did the kids pictures and I can't wait to see them! It was a perfect evening with a beautiful sunset while the kids swam in Lake MI (70 degrees).
Monday we were asked to do an interview on the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon at Celebration Cinema (MDA runs the ALS clinic that Eric goes to and has a division for ALS). Besides going to the wrong theatre, it was very cool to be a part of what they are doing to raise money for 40 neuromuscular diseases for support for patients and research and sending kids to camp, etc. The kids were great too! We were interviewed by Wood TV 8's Miranda and she could not have been nicer.
This week we are hoping to get adjusted to our new schedules as many of you are.
Blessings to all of you!
Lori and Eric

Save the date for the Walk to d'feet ALS on October 11th. More details to follow!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!

We had a wonderful day today full of good news! It started at 8:30 when we got a call from the VA office in Detroit to let us know that our specially adapted housing grant has been approved!!! Eric and I just cried when we got off the phone and praised our great God! We have been working on this for so long and praying for this to be approved with many of you. Prayer works and God is so good to us!! This will allow us to us to build or put the grant towards the purchase of a home that will be better suited for Eric's wheelchair. We are leaning towards purchasing a home due to how long it would take to build at this point and all of the major decisions that go along with that. We have several houses in mind and will be praying for discernment on choosing the right one.

We also got a call that our lift van has been inspected in Battle Creek and we could pick it up today! We drove it home this afternoon and it is so incredibly nice! Eric can sit right beside me up front with his wheelchair because the front seat comes out. We have lots to learn about using the van but can't wait to take it out with Eric's loaner chair. This will help us looking at houses too with the chair along.

We also had Wilma, a sweet woman in her seventies come out today from Visiting Angels to be our new caregiver twice a week. She helped me get the house ready today for a showing and she was a huge help keeping up with our hectic paced day. We are so blessed! I read my daily devotion tonight and it was from Ecclesiastes 5 and Charles Stanley's comment was "God allows certain amounts of wealth and possessions to come into our hands so that we might use them to bless others. We are to be a funnel for God's blessings, not a container in which to hoard them." We are excited to share God's blessings our family has received and be able to bless others. Everything we have and everything we are given comes from Him!
Thank you so much for your prayers, keep praying that Eric's progression would be slow and for a cure for ALS!

Have a great Holiday weekend! We plan to stick around here and wind down for school next week!
Blessings!
Lori and Eric

Celebrating 13 years of marriage!

We just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary yesterday. Eric and I met almost exactly 18 years ago at Michigan State University and I told my roommate that I had met the man I was going to marry. Five years later, we were married. I put some pictures from our wedding above to show you how young (and skinny) we were. Our wedding day feels like it was yesterday and it was one of the best days of my life. I have actually known Eric half of my life now.

We actually celebrated our anniversary last Friday by going to dinner with friends to Johhny Carino's to have steak since Eric finished his 28 day detox regimen last Thursday. It was very good food! The rest of our weekend was pretty quiet, mostly getting ready for an open house on Sunday. We got a new mattress on Saturday to help Eric sleep better. He has been struggling with sleep for quite a while now due to not being able to get comfortable so we picked out a quite firm mattress that is quite high off the ground too which is easier for him to get in and out of. We can add an adjustable base if we like sometime or get a wedge pillow for under the sheets if Eric needs to sleep elevated. The very first night on the mattress, Eric slept like a baby and has been since. This is hugely important because good rest gives him better energy for the day just as it does for everyone, but this is even more important for people with ALS because of the fatigue and more energy being exerted during the day. I am having a little harder time adjusting to our new mattress. Our old mattress was very soft and broken in and I am not quite used to the change hence the late blog entry. When I wake up, my mind starts thinking of my to do list or things like selling the house and where we will move to, etc.

We did have 7 families through on our open house with one who came back tonight who likes the house but needs to sell theirs. We also have another showing on Thursday night so it is picking up again and we are praying that the right buyer will be able to buy our home soon.

Other good news is despite losing another Angel Care worker last week, we had an interview yesterday with Visiting Angels and they hope to have someone out here this Friday to start so please pray that this new company and person would be a good fit for us.
Zach started football practice this week and is so excited to be on the team Gators this year with some of his best buddies. He is switching teams this year to help us with rides to all of the practices and he couldn't be happier how it turned out with all the kids he knows on his team. They are pumped up! We need to get some new gear tomorrow because the boy just shot up last year and keeps growing as does Maddie.
They are both excited to start school next Tuesday and we hope the transition goes smoothly as it is always hard as most of you know to move into earlier bed times and getting up and homework and sports, etc.
Many of you have offered to help us this past week and we really appreciate it. I promise I will try to ask for help when we really need it. Some days I don't know I need it until right at the moment I need it so I will try to plan ahead for things as I see them coming. My hope is that we will be moving soon and then we will need lots of help!
I hope you are all doing well and feeling blessed. I know we feel blessed every day. Eric wakes up every morning and says "another day to spend together" We say this all the time, but every day is truly a gift so make the most of today and be blessed!
In Him,
Lori

GREAT WEEKEND!

Last weekend we drove to Monroe, MI for a Skate for ALS benefit that our good friend Doug Wemple (top pic with Eric) organized for the ALS Association at Canlan Ice Arena. On Friday night Eric said a few words to the players and did the honorary puck drop for the benefit game between the police and fire departments. It was a bittersweet for Eric to watch everyone play hockey since he has not been able to play the sport for a long time, but he loves to watch a good game! We met Erin who coordinates the east side of the states fundraising efforts and were able to meet a family who has been struck with this disease in April this year who came up from near Toledo, OH to watch their grandson play hockey. It was a joy to talk with Melvin and Trudy (pictured above with Eric) and their kids and grandkids. It always helps to talk with other people with ALS because they can relate so well with what you are going through. Melvin is a veteran from Vietnam so Eric and Melvin had a lot to talk about and we all have the same passion of a cure for ALS! May God bless their whole family and continue to provide their needs and be their hope. Saturday there was a carnival and lots of hockey being played. Saturday we had dinner with the Wemples and I took the kids to Splash Water Park with the free passes we received while Eric watched the Olympics. Sunday we headed home and went to see our church praise team at the Hudsonville fair open for Avalon. It was a beautiful evening and it felt like worshiping at church since our church had tickets for a reserved section up front. Maddie had fun dancing with her friends and playing little pets on a blanket and Zach loves to sing worship music with his dad!
Monday was not a great day for us. We had a lot of things that could go wrong do just that and our spirits were starting to sink. Many realities of this disease again crept into our thoughts and consumed us that day, but as always our God is faithful and his mercies are new EVERY morning. When we are down, I always feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders and then when it is lifted (and it always is), we can feel God carrying it for us and blanketing us with his peace. I often think about those who don't have the hope we have in Christ and wonder when trials come their way how they get up out of that pit and how they can live that way day after day. I am so grateful for our Redeemer and the body of Christ who lift us up in prayers!
We received good news on our lift van yesterday from the VA and we have been approved!! We should have our van by the end of next week about the same time that Eric's wheelchair will be here. Praise God!!

Lori

I was reminded today in God's word below:

“Call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me”

Psalm 50:15

God is standing ready to deliver us. He promises in His Word that He is near to all those who call upon His name. No matter what you may be going through, have confidence knowing that God is working behind the scenes on our behalf. He promises to deliver us! Notice that this verse tells us that our part is to honor and glorify Him. We don’t have to wait until everything is perfect to give Him praise. [Something Lori & I need to always remeber when having days like Monday]We can give Him honor and glory right now. We can thank Him for all He’s done in our life so far, and what He will do in our future. Call on Him today and focus on having an attitude of faith. If we speak His Word and declare His promises over our life, knowing that He promises to deliver us. Trust in Him because He is faithful and just to never forsake us.

Thank you for continuing to pray for us as we daily lean on Him for strength.

Your brother in Christ,
Eric

Renewed Vows

A wise friend once told me "never give up; never under estimate the power of prayer." He was right. This past Sunday one of my longest prayers was answered; thank-you so much God! My entire family attended church together. What an amazing blessing it was for me to witness my parents renew their marriage vows after 42 years together! It means so much for us to see examples of commitment to marriage in both of our parents. It is the way God intended for marriage to be, but somehow seems to be the exception in today's world. Marrige is a covenant between two people and God to stay together for life as our Pastor always preaches. We are truly blessed to have our parents keep that covenant and it will flow down to our children as a true example to follow.
It was a beautiful day and it was really nice to be together as a family in church worshiping and celebrating with them. Afterwards, we went to brunch and then hung out at their house most of the day and headed home. Maddie is hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Julie this week and we have been busy with paperwork and phone calls. We had the ALS walk kickoff luncheon on Tuesday and Eric spoke and did an excellent job as always. Eric's mom and Aunt Pat came in town for the lunch and it was hard to look at Eric's mom while he spoke because she was in tears. I know that she is so proud of her son and so am I!! The walk will be on October 11th at John Ball Zoo this year so mark your calendars and plan to join us for a fun day for an even better cause if you can! More details will follow!
Please keep praying for our home to sell and the grant to be approved.
We are in process of getting a lift van approved from the VA and are very excited about it so pray that it goes smoothly and everything is approved for that as well.
Thanks as always for praying and checking in on us. It was a rough week last week, but we are renewed this week by his grace!!
In Him,
Lori and Eric

UNITY FESTIVAL 2008

Unity festival holds a special place in our hearts...because we love christian music as a family, because we can worship with friends, and it is a time to enjoy God's beauty on the water outside as we all give him glory. We want to give a special thank you to Dennis and Pat Klumpp for inviting us, getting our tickets and making sure we had everything we needed while we were there... it was awesome! Thanks to Brad for driving Eric and Zach up on Friday night to see Skillet and Toby Mac rock the house. We ran into some old friends from KCC, Mike and Sue Lewis which was a great surprise. We saw Phillips, Craig and Dean, Kutless, Skillet, Toby Mac, Bebo Norman, 33 Miles, Big Daddy Weave (very funny guy with a heart for Jesus) and Third Day who we could listen to all night. We remember the first time hearing them when Zach was a baby in Grand Haven. All of the bands were wonderful and they all give God the glory for their talent! If you have never gone to Unity Festival in Muskegon, plan on going next year. You won't regret it!! We were exhausted on Sunday afternoon and took a three hour nap at Eric's mom and dads. They renewed their vows on Sunday which deserves a seperate entry so we will post more soon!
God Bless!

Eric and Lori

some struggles

Well, as you can see, one of our struggles is sleep. Some days we sleep like a rock through the night and some nights like last night, we toss and turn and can't find sleep. Eric has a hard time getting in a comfortable position for sleep and it is difficult to move or flip over in bed for him. His Bipap machine makes it hard to sleep at times too. It seems if one of us isn't sleeping well, the other follows suit. Sometimes I have my best quiet times with God in the middle of the night when I can't sleep. I have been reading a new daily Bible that my friend Sherri has been reading by Charles Stanley with his Life principles included daily. It has only been five days into it, but daily, I have received insight and wisdom that speak to me. This morning was from Job speaking on adversity. Job 2:10 ..."Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job said this after his servants and children had been killed and his body was struck by Satan with painful boils from his head to his toe and his wife even told him to curse God and die. What an example Job is to us in lifes trials!
The principal to remember from the story of Job is that God puts a limit on the amount of adversity that he allows to come your way. It will come to an end. Quoting Charles Stanley "Remember that today's troubles are just that: todays troubles. A season of trouble is just that: a season of trouble. Crises psss. Circumstances chang. Situations evolve. God works in and through adversity to bring it to and end, according to his timetable." I am so glad that God knows our troubles and is working through it with us and they will pass.
We stuggle with Eric having ALS and we struggle with the daily things too, but we still remain faithful to the one who knows everything and keeps us in his grasp.
Have a blessed week!
Lori

Please keep these things in your prayers:
Strength and healing for Eric
Our special adapted housing grant to be approved from the VA quickly. It is currently being reviewed in Detroit
Our current home to sell
We lost our Angel Care worker and are seeking a reliable company for respite and home health care
wisdom in getting the right lift van and bed and other medical supplies for Eric as he needs them

My Testimony

I have been wanting to share my testimony with those who come accross my blog and website and have written a brief version of it to be posted on my homepage soon and I am including it below as well:

Like many people growing up in the 70’s & 80’s, I grew up in a home where we didn’t go to church. I went a few times with my neighbors to vacation Bible school held at a country Bible Church. I found out I was adopted at seven years old and I then started rebelling against my parents and against God. I was searching for my identity and looking for security. After High School, I joined the Army where I started to drink socially with the guys in my unit. I was looking for something that could satisfy the hole inside of me. This took me down a slippery slope, but God continued to pursue me. I realized that I was lost and in need of Him
As time went by, I met my Christian wife, Lori and started attending church again with her. We were married on August 26, 1995. I thought I had everything, a wife who loved me, I was in college pursuing my degree, we had our son, Zach on January 17, 1997. Life was good!
One day in 1997, I found myself separated from my wife and my child. My selfish ambition and sin had taken me to the bottom of the pit that I found myself in. I sat in my car on Division Avenue in Grand Rapids and cried out to God for his mercy and forgiveness. I told God that if you are real then I accept you into my life. I will serve you all the days of my life from this point on. I felt a huge pressure being lifted off of me. I asked God to help save my marriage and family and he directed me to go to a church nearby, Kentwood Community Church, where we had attended off and on for about a year. It was open and I spoke with a pastor there and told him what had happened. I asked him to help me to save my marriage and family. He gave me a list of things to do and once I completed them I was to come back to him and he would know I was serious. I did all these things on the list and in the process God was changing me from the inside out. The Holy Spirit was living inside of me! Soon I asked the Pastor if I could be baptized out of obedience to Christ. Shortly thereafter I was baptized along with my wife in front of the body of Christ and my parents at KCC. My faith began to grow and soon I was volunteering in many ministries at the church. I soon learned some of the spiritual gifts God had given me and began to use them to glorify God.
Even though I have been diagnosed with a terminal disease I continue to use these gifts to inspire those around me to trust in the One who is worthy…my Savior Jesus Christ!
I believe that there is a point in time that we realize that we need Christ in our life. The following verses in the book of Romans make it clear that we are all sinners in need of a Savior, Christ Jesus:
Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in sChrist Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:34-39 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If you haven’t acknowledged that you are a sinner before God and asked Him for his free gift of salvation, I urge you today to take a moment before you go to bed tonight and pray to God and accept this free gift of grace through his son, Jesus. It will truly change your life as it has mine and Lori’s.

BEING SATISFIED IN LIFE

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled

Matthew 5:6

God longs for us to long for Him...He wants us to live completely satisfied. When we hunger and thirst for righteousness--God’s way of doing things--then we live in complete satisfaction. We direct our hunger by choosing what we focus on each day. For example, if we focus on our favorite food, if we start thinking about it early in the morning, and all throughout the day, chances are, by the end of the day we will be eating it! What we give our attention to, we will desire. In the same way, the more we give our attention to God and His Word, the more we will hunger for Him. Just like the scripture promises, when you hunger for righteousness, you will be completely satisfied. The world offers so many things for us to give our attention to, but they aren’t things that will satisfy. You might think you want a particular car, or certain clothes to wear, or live in a particular neighborhood. There’s nothing wrong with those things, but understand that "things” won’t ever satisfy us. Recognize that only God will satisfy us completely. As we hunger for Him, we will live in peace and joy.
Since being diagnosed with ALS I have been able to, for the most part, keep my focus on righteousness. I have encountered so much of God’s peace and His love from family, friends, neighbors in the community, complete strangers, and most of all those in the body of Christ that it has allowed me to be satisfied in the midst of this trial I’m going thru. I want to encourage you to take a few minutes and think about how blessed you are…Be satisfied that you were able to eat today, when so many people around the world had nothing; be satisfied that you can drink fresh, clean water any time you’re thirsty; be satisfied that last night while you slept you were protected from the elements; be satisfied that you have the freedom to pray without the fear of persecution; be satisfied if you are healthy today. ..there is so much to be thankful for today just take the time to appreciate it and let God know how blessed you are!

Have a great week in Him!

Your brother in Christ,

Eric

ups and downs

Today we had an few appointments and the kids are at Grandma and Grandpa Foxes for a few days. Eric got measured for some A.F.O.'s which help fupport his ankles and legs when walking to give him better stability. He said they felt good and we hope they will keep him on his feet walking as long as he can and safely. I have to admit I have been getting very worried about the way Eric has been walking lately. It has been very unsteady at times and I wish I could walk beside him and be his stability and I am always grabbing his hand thinking that it makes me feel better, yet it makes it harder for him to maintain his balance. We watched the video last night together that he linked on the right side of the blog called ALS is real. It always slaps me into reality when I see the progression of this horrible disease and think that can't possibly happen to Eric, but Eric is experiencing most of the things on this video. When I see him start to change like this, it is very hard to take it in. I know Eric has been having a very hard time with it lately and I can't even begin to put myself in his shoes. He stays very strong and positive for me and the kids and I know that helps us all deal with this disease, but it is so hard for him to always stay positive when his body is deteriorating. Our faith is strong and we believe that God is the ultimate healer and have been praying diligintly for healing. It is so hard to wait on God and to stay strong. We watched a movie tonight called Iron Man and I couldn't help but think how great it would be if we could get one of those suits for Eric that would allow his body to be strong and move around and something to keep his heart beating when his body couldn't and then I thought that is selfish of me. Who are we to take matters into our own hands thinking that we know best. I know there is a time to be born and a time appointed for all of us to die, but that is so hard to imagine when it is someone you love so dearly. Eric is a husband, a father, a son and a geniune friend to so many people so I know you all can understand what I feel. Someone asked me at church how I was doing and I said really good so it must be time for me to have a breakdown soon not knowing exactly when that would be. I usually break down more when I think of the reality of this disease so again I try not to and to focus on each day. I find joy in spending time with Eric and treasure each moment and hope that I can stay strong and supportive for him like he has been doing for me. I don't mean to sound down because He raises us up and I know He will continue to do it, I just wanted to share what we are going through to help you understand and it also helps me relieve some of what we carry. We still need your prayers for healing and to sustain us. Thank you for praying!
God Bless,
Lori

ENJOYING OUR SUMMER TOGETHER

We have been enjoying our time together this summer.

Last week we went on our annual triple date with my sister Kristi and Brian and my brother Kevin and Stephanie. Last year we went to Grand Haven and this year we ate at Blue Water Grille and had coffee and dessert at San Chez. To see pictures, you can link to their blog on the top right of our blog. It was good food and fun hanging out with them!

We left on Sunday after church for some relaxation at friends of ours cottage that they graciously offered to us with the Barr family. It was very relaxing and we had great weather. They have a home on Big Bass Lake and it has everything you need and is nestled in the trees on the water. We took the Pontoon boat out each day, played games, cooked some great meals, went looking for deer at dusk and saw dozens of them including twin fawns. They are not very afraid of you up there so you can get close to watch them. Eric and Mitch really enjoyed doing this. The kids all got along very well and always found something to do. We took a day trip to Ludington and it was a gorgeous day and the water was pretty warm in Lake MI. The pics above are from Ludington. We came home on Wednesday night with piles of laundry and things are pretty much back to normal around here again. It is always good to be home after a trip. We love going away and we always love returning home too!

Some updates of things in the works are:

We have received a notification of our specially adapted housing grant that they have received it and are sending it on for review. We pray we have a decision soon!

We have heard of another lift van in the area and hope to find out more about it next week and hope it will be a good fit and a good price.

We looked at a house today with a wheel chair like the one Eric will be getting and it wouldn't need huge renovations to adapt it for Eric and it suits all of our needs. We still have our house on the market and need to sell. It has been really slow the last two weeks with no showings so as much as I hate cleaning it, we really need some activity and of course a solid offer so that we can make an offer on this house. Please keep this in your prayers. We know that God has what is best in store for us so we are praying for discernment.

Looking forward to enjoying the warm weather here in West Michigan next week. We will update you if anything new comes about, but until then.... Enjoy time with family and friends and count your blessings!

Lori and Eric

Good news!

We got a letter in the mail from the VA today saying that we have been approved for the adaptive vehicle grant. We did a happy dance in the driveway when we read it. This will really help us out in purchasing a lift van. The one that our friend found for us did not work out for us when we put the sample chair in it. It was too wide for the space it had to sit. We were pretty bummed b ecause it was a really nice van. We will continue to look especially now that the grant is properly approved.

I had my wheelchair assessment on Tuesday this week and my electric chair has been ordered. It is a Permobil C300 and it is quite the machine. This is being proactive for me to keep me safe from falling and for fatigue. It will help me to get out more and do the things I want to do.

We had a few comments on our blog about my activity outside of the house. I realize that some of you who read this blog don't actually know me and my family or you just cannot relate to our lives. Those of you who know me well know that I love to be doing something and am not one to sit at home all day, every day. While there are many days that I am home all day, me and my family love to go on trips together, big and small. We have created some of our best memories in this last year and really enjoy taking trips. There are also things I have always wanted to do like go to the Grand Canyon and Disney with the kids. I know others with ALS and everyone is different on how they live their life. The important thing is that they are spending time with those they love and feel that they still have purpose in life. I feel that God still has so much purpose for my life and I love being with people I love, meeting new people and forming relationships. There will be a time when I may be confined to our house and I am alright with that, but while I still can get out and do the things I love, we will continue to do as much as we can. The nice thing is our vacations are always based on how I am feeling and we never have a schedule. We spend time talking, praying and just having a great time together. A quick note too. It was completely my idea to do the roller coasters. I love them and had to say my farewell!

We are looking forward to going to our friends cottage next week with another family up North to just hang out and relax. This will be a nice break from appointments, paperwork, bills, etc. relaxing by the lake with nowhere to go. We have been looking forward to this all summer.

Lori has been having problems with her eye and had an appt today to find out that she has a corneal ulcer and needs to keep her contact out for 1o days and use antibiotic drops to take care of the problem. Pray that this heals and no further damage is done.

We want to express our thanks for all of the help we had this week. Thanks for the meals, the rides, the prayers and for my Pastor and the guys who came over this week to just hang out and watch guy movies with me. A special thanks to my friend Joe S. for being there for me & my family. We feel loved! Know that we love you too!
Have a wonderful weekend!

Something I read this week:

More Than Conquerors

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Roman 8:28-39

Thriving not Surviving

You're not a survivor. You are more than a conqueror.
It's easy to get into a survival mode. When times get tough and things aren't going our way, it's tempting to just settle where we are, not believe for increase and not believe to go any further. It's tempting to think, "If I can just hold on a little while longer. If I can just make it through another year." If we're not careful, we'll develop a survival mentality to where we're not releasing our faith. We're not believing to rise any higher. We're just hoping to maintain. We'd be satisfied if we could just break even. But we're not supposed to break even. We're supposed to break through to a new level, to more of God's favor, increase and promotion.
God can prosper us even in the desert if we'll just be bold enough to believe. We were created to keep our focus on Christ! So be more than a conqueror today...

Your brother in Christ,

Eric

The rest of our vacation

We left Detroit on Thursday about 12:00 and had brunch at Denny's on the way to Cedar Point. We got into the park about 2:30 and the kids were so excited! It was a beautiful day and we rounded the park with the wheelchair as the kids hopped on rides. Eric had just wanted to ride the Millenium Force and the Maverick roller coaster and that he did! A lot has changed in his body since last year so it was not quite as memorable as the previous summer and I did not enjoy the rides at all because I was so worried about Eric on the ride. When we got off he said it was his farewell to roller coasters which makes me cry some more because it just means that things are progressing in him. We have the farewell photo attached above. It's not such a big deal because they are just rides and don't define our life or bring true joy. I worry about Eric alot when we do things now. It's almost like you worry about your child. It made me think of how God considers us his children although some of us are young and some older. He doesn't worry about us because he is God and knows all things, but he does care so much about us and doesn't want anything to happen to us. He wants what is best for all of us!
It started raining at about 8:3o and didn't let up so we ate dinner at Johhny Rockets while the servers danced to some classics and then they made us rain ponchos out of garbage bags to brave the rain to our car. We had decided it would be best to skip our second day at CP and just head to Cleveland. After sleeping in again, we hit the road to the place we lived when we were first married and my first job after college. It was fun remembering back 13 years ago in our lives where we were and how far we have come. It ended up raining again so we went to a movie and ate at Tower City and then headed back to our hotel by the airport. They upgraded us to a suite with a sitting area and seperate bedroom which was fun. We had two TV's and the kids somehow always ended up in our room with the King size bed or they were swimming in the pool. We weren't able to get internet service at that hotel , hence no updates until now. On our last morning we were awoken to an alarm saying we had to go to the nearest exit so off we went in our PJ's. Maddie was grabbing all of her animals and clothes to take with. When we got out there it was a false alarm, but we got some more starpoints which we can use on our next vacation for a free night so we didn't mind at all.

We spent some time reading the Bible study by John MacArthur on Phillippians and it was so good I thought I would share some things that really made so much sense to me:

In the first chapter of Phillipians it talks about how Paul could have such joy when writing to the Phillipians while in prison and MacArthur points out how most people find happiness as an attitude of satisfaction based on positive circumstances largely beyond their control, therfore it can not be planned or certain. However "spiritual joy is the deep and abiding confidence that all is well between the believer and the Lord. No matter what difficulty, pain, dissappointment, failure, rejection or other challenge one is facing, genuine joy remains because of that eternal well-being established by God's grace in salvation. The fullest, most lasting and satisfying joy is derived from a true relationship with God. It is not based on circumstances or chance, but is the gracious and permanent possession of every child of God." I was reminded that JOY is one of the fruits of the spirit that we receive by the Holy Spirit when we are saved (Gal 5:22). He also goes on to say that "the one certain cause for loss of joy in a believers life is sin, which corrupts our fellowship of the Lord, who is the source of that joy. Such sinful attitudes as dissatisfaction, bitterness, doubt, fear, and negativism cause joy to be forfeited. Anything other than sin, no matter how difficult or dissappointing need not take away the believers joy. Yet even minor things can do so if believers react sinfully to them.... Consequently, the only way to restore lost joy is to repent and return to the proper worship of and obedience to God." WOW!!!

I knew that Eric and I have joy regardless of our circumstances, but I never looked at exactly where that comes from and that when it seems to be diminished, it is only because we are not focused on the Giver of our joy. He is everything!!! Somehow this just restored my joy when I was allowing fear to rob me of my joy. I just thought I needed to share all of that in case someone else needed to hear that like I did!! Jesus is the ONLY way to true joy!
Have a blessed week!

Lori and Eric

How about them Tigers!

What an awesome day!
We left for Detroit today at 1:00 after cleaning like crazy for another showing. We actually had an offer on our house on Monday which was exciting, but they offered too low and could not accept our counter. It is frustrating, but we couldn't come to the table with that much money to close the deal. God has it all planned out and we have to have faith that someone else will be interested for a fair price. We are having an open house on Sunday while we are gone so pray that that goes well and that we show it often while we are gone because it will actually stay clean!
We got to Detroit today at 4:30 and were able to go onto the field because our friend Doug Wemple nominated our family for their dreams come true program. We got to go right on the field level and meet a few players like Clete, Thomas, Curtis Granderson, Jim Leland (mgr) Todd Jones and saw all the players practicing! That was really cool!! Since our seats were in the upper deck about 15 rows up from the floor and we had a wheel chair borrowed for Eric, Doug asked if we could get seats in a handicap section together. After they came back, they said that our family could go in the VIP suite! We had no idea what a treat we were in for! When we took the private elevator up there and got to the suite, Mike said all of the food and pop is complimentary and we could help ourselves! This was so wonderful because Maddie was ready to be done with Baseball and had a cut on her foot from her flip flops and wanted to be carried. She just rode on dad's lap most of the night. The kids enjoyed chips and cheese and brownies and sprite while Eric and I had steak and red potatoes, chicken and rice, talapia, roasted veggies, salad, fresh fruit, loaded nachos (well just I had that, not really on Eric's diet and I had cheesecake and lots of diet cherry pepsi) We were stuffed! Then they brought out pizza and icecream. We were living the high life tonight. That is a once in a lifetime for sure! We even had tables in front of our seats so we could eat and watch the game. The game was not going so good in the first 6 innings 0-6 Indians and then all of a sudden Joyce hit in runs to tie up the game and in the top of the 9th inning, Cabrera hit a walk off home run!!! The crowd goes wild!!!! What a night! Are you impressed with my knowledge of baseball? Comes from a son who plays little league and a husband who loves sports! Our friends Doug and his son Eli and Mark V and his daughter Heather and boyfriend Caleb were able to join us in this great day! We checked into the hotel in Romulus to crash which everyone has already done here and will head to Cedar Point tomorrow!! Have a wonderful weekend and we will post more after Cedar Point if we are not too wiped out. I promise to make sure that Eric will take it easy.
Grace for the day,
Lori

FAITH...WHAT IS IT?

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

What are we hoping for in our lives today? The Bible says that faith gives substance to the things you hope for. Notice this verse starts by saying, “Now faith…” It’s not “later” faith or “one day” faith. We have to believe that God is working behind the scenes right now. I know it’s not easy to see especially if we are going through a rough stretch or valley, but faith is so important because it keeps our focus on the “One” that answers and is always there for us. Faith is simply believing that God is a good and faithful God—that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. My pastor quoted an author, Randy Frazee’s idea of faith in his book “FINISHING STRONG” as this: ‘faith takes us all the way to sight, till we see Jesus face to face.’ I’m holding on to God’s Word and wanting to finish strong and to hopefully hear my Savior say to me: ‘well done my faithful child [servant] .’ My opinion is that too often many of us are consistently changing or redefining God to be the way we want Him to be. We put limits on God because we don’t really know Him…we don’t take time to get to know and trust in Him. Do we really believe that God wants to move in our life, today? Do we really believe He can provide for our needs, today? Do we really believe He can heal our relationships, today? Whatever we are hoping for, we need to open our hearts and expect that God is working on our behalf. Stand strong and declare that victory is already ours. As we face each day with faith and expectancy, we’ll increase in strength and see God’s hand working in every area of our life!

Have a blessed week!

Your brother in Christ,

Eric

A quick (OK not so quick) update

It's late, but I'm so exhausted that I can't sleep. This week has flown by. We had a great time up north last weekend and mostly good weather. It was hard for Eric to be up there and not able to do the many things he wanted to do with us like fishing, seadooing, swimming, etc. but none the less it was just nice being together as a family away from all of the demands of life.
Wednesday brought major storms to West Michigan. My sister and I and the kids went to see Wall-E and came out of the theatre to a major thunderstorm with flooded roads and trees down in the streets. It was an adventure getting home. Eric was home with our Angel and had called and said we had no power. Our power stayed out until sometime in the middle of the night so we played LIFE by candle light and then sat in the garage and watched the storm and listened to the sirens. We went to Meijers at night and just walked around and ran into many of our neighors and friends who had no power. It made me think about how we are so lost without our power for one day when many people don't even have power in other countries to cook their food or keep it cold or for them to stay warm or cool. We worry when we don't have TV or our computer and A/C in our homes and don't realize how good we have it. They were predicting power to be out until Fri or Sat so when it came on in the night, I just praised the Lord!
We had a showing on Thursday, so I had to go to town on the house in the morning since nothing had been done the night before.
A friend from our church found a lift van at a used car dealer he trusts for sale and he had it brought to us from Portage Thurs morning so we could test it out. It is a very nice van and the lift is in the back of the vehicle and Eric could roll up to sit in the middle of the kids and lock in a wheelchair. We have been checking in on our VA auto grant to make sure we can use that for this vehicle. It was something that we weren't thinking about yet, but God just works like that to take care of things. We really like the van and hope it will work out.
The reality is that Eric needs to get his wheelchair ordered. We have an appointment to get measured and assessed on July 15th. He has a hard time holding his head when he walks and has become unsteady on his feet quite often lately and risks falling and it really scares me. I hate to see him like this because it is a sign of progression of this awful disease! There are days when things just seem normal for us and there are days when it is really hard to think that Eric has ALS and today was one of those days. I haven't cried in a long time because we just keep moving along and we really do enjoy life every day and love on eachother as much as we can because life is so precious. Tonight the tears are flowing freely. I know it is good for me to cry so i will just let them flow. We heard from our friends in Florida that we have never met who have ALS and he is not doing good at all. He is barely able to move and he was only diagnosed this year. It breaks my heart talking to his wife and not knowing what to say or how to comfort her because it is such a reality for us too. This disease is so different for everyone affected and there is just so much unknown, it is just not fair! Please pray for Roger and Karen. One thing he know is "his ticket is paid for and he is going to heaven" Praise the Lord for his salvation and his testimony to others.
We had a good day on the Fourth of July together and today have been cleaning most of the day and doing yardwork for another showing on Sunday and a second showing from the couple that came on Thursday. Please pray that this is the right house for either of them so that we can be freed to move forward to get the right home for Eric. It has been very tiring keeping the house ready to show and I told Eric that if the house sells, I will not be cleaning again until we move out. Well, maybe just dishes and laundry. Anyone who has sold a home knows what I am talking about! I had better try to go to sleep again. I have been reading a devotional called "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" for caregivers by Shelly Beach and it has been very encouraging to me. Sometimes I think she knows exactly how I feel. I recommend it for anyone who takes care of a loved one (she cares for her parents) but I want to close this with a prayer she wrote on todays reading:
"Dear God, my prayer today is, 'I believe. Help my unbelief,' In the middle of pain and suffering, my heart cries out for answers, for proof, for evidence, for something that can make sense of the devestation that I see in the world around me. But God, You hold the keys to the history of the world and to every indignity and injustice that has ever been perpetrated, and You promise that in the end all will be made right. Father, we cling to you, knowing that we won't find those answers in this world but only by looking into Your eyes and trusting You for the future. Give me that faith, Father."

"I sougth the Lord, and he answered me, he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." Psalm 34: 4-5

Good night!
Lori

Taking a break!

We are getting packed tonight to go to a friends parents cottage this weekend and are looking forward to some relaxing time on the lake with the Bolkema's.
Zach had his game last night and it was a great game despite the mosquitos. Their team won and their coach prayed with them afterward which was awesome. What a great season!
Maddie got a new pet this week ( a hermit crab) and Prince got a new snack! I'm not sure if she left it out or it got out but we got him on Wed., he went AWOL on Thursday and today I found a small part of him and a guilty looking dog. I'm just not sure how he ate the shell??

Please don't say anything to Maddie, she thinks he is on an adventure in our house. We hope you all have a great weekend!
Blessings,

Lori

What we've been up to

It has been a while since we did an update again. Summer is upon us and it has been nice being home again just getting back to "normal". The kids have been having fun playing with their friends in our neighborhood and have been really helpful around the house and helping Eric. With Zach home now, he has been a really big help since he is older and able to be home for Eric when I have to run out for quick errands. Eric is on a mostly organic fruit and vegatable diet right now which involves many trips to the grocery store. If you think about it, the reason some foods last so long is because of all of the perservatives added. It's frustrating having to shop more often in smaller amounts because I just love Costco!! But it really makes sense to not put anything extra in our bodies that God did not intend for them to process. It is very hard and I can't tell you how many times I ask Eric what do you want for dinner and he'll say a juicy bacon cheeseburger or a huge bowl of Carrabas pasta or a chocolate shake! Then he'll say OK, I'll have a salad or some veggies. We have added steak and chicken to the diet to give it variety, but no pork or fish. Our chiropractor pointed out to us "it's just fuel". A good way to think about it when you are craving something that has no nutritional value! Just some food for thought :)

We have shown our house twice last week and both parties have expressed some interest so we are waiting to see what happens with that and have really been praying for God's direction on where we should go. Building vs buying something more suitable with little renovation while we live there. Please pray that God would allow our house to sell and direct us to the right path for our future home.

Zach had a double header last Thursday to make up some baseball games and they won both of their games. Zach hit an in park home run in the last inning and brought in three runs tying up the game and he was so excited! It is such a joy to see your child be good at something and really love being part of a team. We had a great team this year and a wonderful coach. Thank you Ron and all of the great dads and moms who helped out! At the end of that night, Zach's team was awarded trophies for the team champs for the minor league and then 5 of them were chosen to play in the all stars this week. Zach was one of them and he is excited!! He will be playing under the lights this Thursday at 8:00 pm for at Georgetown Little league field 11 for any of you who are able to come out!

Eric has been meeting with some people at the ALS Association this past week to see how he can be used to help advocate ALS and help find a cure! He is also busy doing things on his own with my brother to see what difference can be made. He has passion and purpose through this disease that inspires me as his wife and others too!
We are planning some short trips this summer to some cottages with friends in Michigan and a Tiger game and trip to Cedar Point which we are really looking forward to!!

Be blessed this week and enjoy life and where God has you for a reason!!
Lori

A letter from Eric's sister Julie

Eric's sister Julie wrote this very touching note to us and wanted us to put it on our blog so here it is: We love you, Julie!!

Let me tell you about my brother, Eric. He is a faithful, devoted, and caring man. He has always been there for me and my family. His drive and passion are amazing in finding a cure for this horrible disease that he has. He is not going down without a fight.

To know where Eric is today and where he used to be is amazing. Growing up Eric and I did not have it easy. We had loving parents and did their best to teach us right from wrong. Sometimes I think that Eric should have been my older brother instead of my younger brother. He was always looking out for me and making sure that my friends were "good" enough for him. Giving me lectures when he thought that I needed and listening to me when I needed it. Sticking by each other when we were getting into trouble(which was never, ha-ha). Eric and I have stories that will always be with us to the end. There were times when we wanted to strangle each other. We had our share of fights as well; that did not make mom and dad too happy either. I know that we pushed our "luck" with mom and dad.

When I found out that he has ALS, I thought to myself, how could this be happening. How could this happen to our family. Eric is truely an inspiration to me. I know that I would not be this far in my faith if it was not for him. He just kept telling me to have faith and God would take care of the rest. I need to believe in that God will provide and love me just the way that I am. When Eric got saved; he was shouting it from the roof top, I was very happy for him. Eric has the most wonderful wife and children. He is a devoted and loving husband and father. Lori is a wonderful woman and an asset to our family. Zachary and Madison are unique and special as well. I have told Eric in the past to count his blessings and recount if necessary. Now it is my turn to count my blessings because of Eric and Lori. God knew what he was doing when he sent our parents looking for us. Eric and I were "hand picked" by God for our parents. For those of you who do not know what I am talking about; Eric and I are adopted.

Eric, I am very blessed to have you in my life. What you have taught me in this past year has been truely amazing. It has opened my eyes to a lot of different things. Even being at the lowest point in my life, you are there. Sometimes I feel like I complain a lot, you are always there to listen to me. It should be the other way around. Eric, please do not change, I can not tell you how much you mean to me and to our family. I am glad that you are fighting this disease to the end, you are a stronger man because of it. You have taught our family a lot and I pray that you continue to do so. I love you Eric, more than words can say. I am very proud to be your sister.
LOL
Julie

YouTube - foxtrotter88's Channel

YouTube - foxtrotter88's Channel

ONE HAPPY FAN!

MITCH ALBOM STANLEY'S TRAVELS
A promise kept, a life touched, a Cup delivered
Ozzie, Mr. I bond with ALS battler
BY MITCH ALBOM • FREE PRESS COLUMNIST • June 13, 2008

CORONA DEL MAR, Calif. -- You often hear pro athletes -- especially pro hockey players -- talk about "riding the bike." They mean the stationary bike exercise machine, and they ride it to train, to recuperate, to push their lungs and muscles. Some hockey stars all but live on those things.
Well, the man who co-created the stationary bike industry, the man who, about 30 years ago, started a company called Life Fitness, which produced the Lifecycle, is a guy named Augie Nieto. You've probably never met him. And none of the Red Wings -- despite countless hours on stationary bikes -- had ever met him.
Until Wednesday.
On Wednesday, one Red Wing met him. It wasn't a business meeting. It wasn't a product pitch. The meeting took place inside Augie Nieto's home in southern California.
The Red Wing was Chris Osgood.
He brought the Stanley Cup.
He carried it, two-handed, through the front door and down the stairs. He carried it through a living room. He put it on a table near a man who sat in a wheelchair, unable to move his arms or his torso.
"How ya doing?" Osgood asked.
A punishing disease
Well, how's Augie doing? On the one hand, you could say he is not doing well. He has ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. It struck him three years ago, in the prime of his life, age 47, when he thought he had everything going for him: beautiful wife, beautiful kids, gorgeous home, millions in the bank, a life of adventure and accomplishment. In fact, it was during a water-skiing trip through the Mekong Delta in Vietnam (and let's be honest, how many regular folk do that?) that Augie sensed something wrong. He fell a few times, and his muscles weren't reacting the way they should.
Soon after, he got the diagnosis. ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. His body, of which he had been so proud, was on a path to unavoidable decay. And his life, at least as this fitness mogul had known it, was doomed to slip away. Everything he took for granted, in time, would need to be done by someone else for him, including bathing, dressing, brushing his teeth.
Or lifting the Stanley Cup and putting it across his lap.
Which Chris Osgood did on Wednesday.
"How does it feel?" the goalie asked.
"I feel," Augie said, his words coming slowly, "like a champion."
There's more to that sentence than you could ever know. Augie, after an initial bout of depression, decided to make the most of whatever time he had left. He created a new business of sorts, this one called Augie's Quest, and its sole purpose would be finding a cure for ALS. It would be run like a business, with businesslike goals and businesslike efficiency. It would be funded with contributions from Augie and from others. To date, he has raised -- get this -- more than $14 million. Yet he has no illusions about a cure that would heal his own body.
His dreams are for others.
And in thinking that way, even as he sank into a wheelchair, he has risen to new heights. He authored a book about his experiences (called "Augie's Quest") and is at work on a second (called "Reciprocity, Incorporated"). In this one, he is interviewing successful business people like himself who have found a compelling need to give back.
One of the people he interviewed was Mike Ilitch, owner of the Red Wings, Tigers and Little Caesars. After an hour-long meeting last month in his Detroit office, Ilitch was so impressed with Augie, even though he could not move from his wheelchair, that Ilitch promised to bring him the Stanley Cup if his team won it.
Augie thanked him and headed home.
And the Red Wings developed one very anxious fan in southern California.
The joy of Stanley
"What were you thinking," Augie asked Osgood, as he looked at the Cup, "in the last 10 seconds of the playoffs?"
Osgood grinned. He knew Augie meant the final play, when Osgood went sprawling to the ice to block the last, desperate shot by the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 of the finals. The puck never got in the net. The blue light flashed.
"I couldn't wait to get back up," Osgood said.
For Augie, and others with ALS, getting back up will remain a dream. But rising up is another matter. What Augie has done is inspire people around him into action. His pureness of spirit makes people energized to work with him, to battle ALS, to pool their efforts to try harder. It's as if he taps into that part of people that is hidden by the everyday craziness and only gets revealed when you realize all of our days are numbered in some way.
Augie does all this while in a wheelchair, while needing to be fed or have his tears wiped, while typing with his toes on a computer, and while following your gaze with his own constantly smiling eyes, which miss nothing. Having Lou Gehrig's disease may turn your body into a prison, but your mind is sharper than ever.
And so Augie's mind was racing Wednesday morning, taking it all in. He had never seen the Stanley Cup. Around him were children, friends, cameras and video cameras. People posed with the Cup and took snapshots. Women kissed it. Men touched it with reverence. Osgood held the Cup over Augie's head and some people pushed Augie's arms to make it look as if he were holding it up as well.
"I feel like I'm part of a legacy," Augie said, his slurred words being translated by his son, Austin.
"Dynasty," Augie corrected.
"Dynasty," Austin said.
Actually, he is part of both. The legacy of spreading the Stanley Cup from NHL arenas to hospitals, swimming pools, playgrounds and even living rooms of everyday people.
And the dynasty of the human spirit, which touches one person, who touches another and another and another. You could see Osgood's face change while he was in that living room. He had been on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" the night before. He was headed to a Hollywood movie premiere of "The Love Guru." But none of those places would yield the magic he was seeing at that moment. "I like doing this stuff best of all," Osgood admitted.
He posed with Augie. He put his arm on his shoulder. They talked. They laughed. Then the phone rang, and it was Mr. Ilitch, calling to see how it was going.
"You're a special guy," Ilitch told Augie.
"Thank you," Augie said. "Now we have to get the Tigers going."
Ilitch laughed.
There is a small detail of this story that has been left out. A few days after the Detroit meeting, Augie and his wife, Lynne, were back in their southern California house, and Lynne was going through the mail. Lots of junk. She impulsively threw out a batch of letters. Then something made her go back and pick one up. The handwriting on the front. She opened it.
A check from the Red Wings for $50,000 for Augie's Quest.
She grabbed another envelope from the trash. A check for $100,000 from the Tigers.
She grabbed one more. A check for $100,000 from Little Caesars.
One life touches another and another. So does a particular silver trophy, carried this week by a good-hearted goalie who held it over the head of a good-hearted fitness giant who no longer can do it himself.
"Amazing," Augie whispered.
How's he doing? Well, you could say he's doing great. And if he can be doing great, we can, too.
For more information on Augie's Quest and how to make a donation, go to augiesquest.org. Contact MITCH ALBOM at 313-223-4581 or malbom@freepress.com. Catch "The Mitch Albom Show" 5-7 p.m. weekdays on WJR-AM (760). Also catch "Monday Sports Albom" 7-8 p.m. Mondays on WJR. To read his recent columns, go to www.freep.com/mitch.