A Take on a Life Worth Knowing - Seth Poling

Raspy Voice Kids: How were you diagnosed with ALS? How did you react? SETH: ALS affects everyone differently, so the diagnosis process is often long drawn out. I first noticed a small muscle twitch in my right shoulder while on a cruise in 2014. I brushed it off and chalked it up as a possible symptom of an old injury. After 6 months of continuous twitching and some pain in my shoulder, I decided to see an Orthopedic Surgeon. The orthopedic surgeon scheduled an MRI which showed a torn rotator cuff and labrum. The surgeon suggested surgery but advised that I should see a Neurologist before surgery to have the twitching looked at further. I went to my first Neurologist appointment at Ruby Memorial Hospital in May 2015, without a care in the world. I had no idea that my and my family's lives were about to be changed forever. The Neurologist examined me and determined that I was now twitching in my left tricep, tongue, and right shoulder. He showed a general concern but didn't ela

 What does 8-6-1 mean? Maybe, it represents the area code for the greater Kansas City area. After all, I have three friends living with ALS from that area. As much as I love Angela Harness Cline, Scott “FlexonALS" Smith, and Sarah “FightLikeaGirl” Nauser, I am not referring to Kansas City. Although, I am becoming a closet Kansas University basketball, Kansas City Royals, and the Kansas City Chiefs fan because my feeds are usually filled with sports highlights. Do NOT tell Scott or Sarah. Haha. 8-6-1 represents three anniversaries in my life. Three anniversaries felt like an eternity but flew by like a comet streaking through the midnight sky. The first anniversary represents eight years since my first symptoms of ALS. The week of August 1-7, 2014, a young couple set off on a Caribbean Cruise. The young man was months away from turning 29 and wanted to treat his girlfriend to some fun in the sun. We set sail from Miami, Florida, destined for the Bahamas, St. Thomas, and St. Croix.