I'm sure you're heard all about the ALS "Ice Bucket Challenge" by now. I
knew someone would nominate me, and it finally happened on Wednesday
night. (Sending a big, snarky "thank you" to my cousin, Nathaniel!)
Of course, you know I'm not one to just grab a bucket and stand in the yard.
Handsome and I put our heads together and came up with this little
video.
I thanked him for helping me by nominating HIM! It's cheesy, I know, but
we had fun, and hope you do, too, when you watch it. Tag even got in the act!
Here's the video:
This is the direct link: http://youtu.be/_hBw3L2nR9c
Man! That water was chilly! I thought being in the pool would help, but it didn't.
My head was cold even after I went back under water and swam to the steps...
and it was 100º in steamy south Florida by the time we filmed this.
Enough silliness, though. ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) is serious business.
In addition to having ice water dumped on me by my dear husband, I also made a
donation to the ALS Association. I admit that I have selfish reasons for finding a
cure for ALS. ALS and DM (Degenerative Myelopathy in dogs) are closely related.
As of today, both diseases are incurable, and DM has the same symptoms.
From the ALS Association website:
"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative
disease
that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor
neurons reach from
the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal
cord to the muscles throughout the
body. The progressive degeneration of
the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads
to their death. When the
motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and
control
muscle movement is lost." In dogs the degeneration also leads to death.
The ALS Association and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals share their
research results. It is my deepest desire that a cure be found for ALS - and
DM. Taggart carries both genes for DM. That means he could live a long,
healthy life with no effects whatsoever. It also means that he could develop
DM after he turns ten, but I pray every day that he never exhibits symptoms.
So, I made my donation in addition to being soaked with water and ice. When
I nominated Handsome to take up the challenge, and I knew he'd also donate.
Perhaps you think the Ice Bucket Challenge is silly. That's ok. You're not
required to do it. What I would like to ask is that you consider making a
small donation to the ALS Association. Wouldn't it be wonderful if a cure
were found in our lifetime? If you're so motivated, this is the link to make
a gift toward continued research. Thanks for watching the video and
making it all the way to the end of today's post. Tag and I really appreciate it.
