Name: Lynn Murray

City, State: Overland Park, Kansas

Age: 59

Family:
Husband – Steven
Son – Ryan
Daughter and Son-in-law – Andrea and Scott Dixon

Hobbies/Interests: Family photo albums, family history, visiting nature centers, gardens, parks and woods.  Picking fruit at local orchards and then making it into wonderful desserts.  Reading, visiting museums and traveling.

Date of ALS diagnosis: July, 1999

Life before ALS: Before and after ALS I have always found peace in nature.  Before and after ALS my family has always been the most important part of my life.  I loved gardening, and it was easy for me before I had ALS.  Before ALS affected my speech, I enjoyed volunteer work as a hospital visitor and delivering meals to the homebound.  Before ALS, I could more easily plan for my future.

Life with ALS: For more than seven years now I have fought ALS, but I have never felt alone.  There have been many difficulties to face such as problems with speaking, eating, sleeping, muscle loss and falling.  Yet I am fortunate to have the physical abilities that I still have.  I have been deeply saddened that this illness has stolen the lives of friends and acquaintances whom I admired so.

How has ALS brought new significance to your life: My faith in God strengthens me more than ever before.  I have spent years making photo albums: that is a part of my legacy to my family.  I realize that it is important for me not to procrastinate doing the things I’ve dreamed of doing, but especially important to communicate, while I am able, my love, respect and caring toward the people that mean the most to me.  It is my great privilege to think that in some way, however small, I may have helped others to cope with ALS.  Time well spent is an absolute treasure and I make the choice everyday to do at least one thing that I feel good about doing – that to me is significant.