ALS_Brian+Dignen

__**Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis**__ Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis(ALS) is an autosomal recessive diesease that affects nerve cells in the brain and in the spinal cord. ALS is also called Lou Gehrig's diesease. It eventually spreads through all of the muscles in your body. After about two to five years with ALS most patients die. Alothough ALS can strike anyone, it is not contagious.

__**Lou Gehrig Interview**__ Lou Gehrig was an amazing baseball player that played for the Yankees with Babe Ruth. Lou Gehrig hit the most homeruns in a game. He hit 4 homeruns in one game. He almost hit five but a great catch by Al Simmons prevented that. Lou Gehrig suffered from ALS himself.

Interviewer: Hi Lou how are you? Lou Gehrig: Good but ALS is taking my life over.

Interviewer: Can you tell me about the symptoms of ALS? Lou Gehrig: One of the symtptoms is muscle weakness. This usually happens in legs, arms, hands, muscles of speech, swallowing, or breathing. Another symptom is twitching and cramping of muscles. In more advanced stages some symptoms are shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing and swallowing.

Interviewer: What are some of the treatment options? Lou Gehrig: There are no treatments that slow down the progression of ALS, but there are drugs and devices that control symptoms and make it easier to live with ALS.

Interviewer: Thanks Lou that was a big help. Lou Gehrig: No problem. Links: [|http://www.alsa.org] [] []