The latest Internet Craze, which is not crazy but an amazing example of the power of the Internet and the desire to do what is right, is the #IceBucketChallenge phenomenon that is bringing much needed awareness and donations to the ALS community.
I am in absolute awe as to the power of the Internet, the people, and a much needed human desire to “do the right thing”. It gives me hope that there is humanity still in this world compared to the doom and gloom that exists with wars, hatred, racism, extremism and pain in dealing with diseases that we are all exposed to on a daily basis.
I come home from work every day after a long day to walk in through one door in my house, swallow my dinner whole and then exit the other door and go visit my mom who has been losing her own battle with Alzheimer’s. It is a battle that she has been waging and losing for the past 6 years since she was diagnosed. I can’t say that we are the ones waging the battle, as although we are definitely suffering, she is the one that is losing herself to this dreadful disease.
I was challenged to take the IceBucketChallenge by my brother in law, and my cousin on the same day. This was right before I was going out of town, and also the day that I was going to visit my parents, which I normally do, right before I leave on a trip to say my goodbyes. I struggled with how to complete my challenge in the 24 hour period I was given when 24 hours later, I would be in a different city.
I struggled with the thought that while I absolutely, in my heart, know it is for a great cause and personally know someone who died as a result of this horrific disease; I am seeing my own mother, who I am about to share another birthday with, continue to die right in front of me.
I struggled with the fact that, while I was ecstatic that the ALS organization is getting the attention it absolutely deserves, and the poor souls dealing with this disease are getting an opportunity to hope for a future without this disease; the disease that my mom, and family, are dealing with does not seem any closer to being solved.
I struggled to think about what crazy Internet sensation I can come up with that would enable those families like ours that are dealing with Alzheimer’s to get a similar sense of hope through increased awareness and donation that I also feel is rightly deserved.
I took my trip, spent the day in the hotel watching ALS Ice Bucket videos and others that ranged from funny to sad to downright painful that I cried and could not stop thinking about them, so I watched them 2 or 3 times.
I felt bad and almost ashamed; like I was robbing the poor victims of something they deserve and being “jealous” of the fact that they got what they absolutely needed through this campaign.
I even thought about which was the worse of two evils: Losing your mind through Alzheimer’s but having a healthy body, or losing your body through ALS and having a healthy mind.
In the end, I did what I though was the right thing. I donated to the ALS Association and then matched it with an equal donation to the Alzheimer’s Association.
I almost lost my dad to cancer a few years ago, lost one of my grandfathers to it, and lost my other grandfather to Leukemia early on in my childhood.
There are many wars and battles being waged in our lives. Some we will win, others we may lose. These battles define who we are, challenge our faith unimaginably, but also help us grow stronger in it. Through these recent battles with cancer and Alzheimer’s, I have grown closer to my parents, my wife and kids, and my sisters and their families. I don’t have hope that we will find the cure for Alzheimer’s in time to save my mom but I have the knowledge and satisfaction of knowing that we have done the right thing, taken care of her, and created special memories of all of the times we have shared with her, through her ups and downs.
I came back home and completed my challenge. I also raised it by challenging my three brother in-laws to do it as well. After all, we are in this world together, we need each other in order to survive and it is the right thing to do. Pay it forward.
Heredia ALS #IceBucketChallenge
In memory of John Gregory Kajs who lost his battle to ALS a few years ago.
Donate to ALS here: www.alsa.org
Donate to ALZ here: www.alz.org
