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A quick moment to ask for help...

Ohio Guy

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Aug 28, 2001
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I honestly can't remember if I've shared this here or not, but since December 2019, my brother has been dealing with ALS. It's pretty bewildering and heartbreaking to watch him go through it - nearly every time I see him he's lost some sort of bodily function and he's relying on some new piece of machinery to make his life slightly easier and more tolerable.

To this point he's been able to keep his job. His employer has been great and since he can't drive anymore, in a weird way the remote work the pandemic brought on has been a blessing in disguise. That said, it was recently determined that his last day would be June 5. He and his wife are various avenues of help they're investigating, but they're definitely facing some even more challenging times ahead.

I"ve been thinking of doing this for awhile, but I ended up setting up a GoFundMe page for him. I should say that if this is against forum policy, by all means delete this post. And I also want to make it clear that there is zero expectation that anyone donate, but if you feel compelled I know he and his family would greatly appreciate it.

As an aside, some of you might know - or know of - Andy. He was an IU basketball manager from 1996-2000 and lived with a number of the players from that era.

Thanks for indulging me.
 
I honestly can't remember if I've shared this here or not, but since December 2019, my brother has been dealing with ALS. It's pretty bewildering and heartbreaking to watch him go through it - nearly every time I see him he's lost some sort of bodily function and he's relying on some new piece of machinery to make his life slightly easier and more tolerable.

To this point he's been able to keep his job. His employer has been great and since he can't drive anymore, in a weird way the remote work the pandemic brought on has been a blessing in disguise. That said, it was recently determined that his last day would be June 5. He and his wife are various avenues of help they're investigating, but they're definitely facing some even more challenging times ahead.

I"ve been thinking of doing this for awhile, but I ended up setting up a GoFundMe page for him. I should say that if this is against forum policy, by all means delete this post. And I also want to make it clear that there is zero expectation that anyone donate, but if you feel compelled I know he and his family would greatly appreciate it.

As an aside, some of you might know - or know of - Andy. He was an IU basketball manager from 1996-2000 and lived with a number of the players from that era.

Thanks for indulging me.
Sorry to hear!! That’s very difficult.
 
I honestly can't remember if I've shared this here or not, but since December 2019, my brother has been dealing with ALS. It's pretty bewildering and heartbreaking to watch him go through it - nearly every time I see him he's lost some sort of bodily function and he's relying on some new piece of machinery to make his life slightly easier and more tolerable.

To this point he's been able to keep his job. His employer has been great and since he can't drive anymore, in a weird way the remote work the pandemic brought on has been a blessing in disguise. That said, it was recently determined that his last day would be June 5. He and his wife are various avenues of help they're investigating, but they're definitely facing some even more challenging times ahead.

I"ve been thinking of doing this for awhile, but I ended up setting up a GoFundMe page for him. I should say that if this is against forum policy, by all means delete this post. And I also want to make it clear that there is zero expectation that anyone donate, but if you feel compelled I know he and his family would greatly appreciate it.

As an aside, some of you might know - or know of - Andy. He was an IU basketball manager from 1996-2000 and lived with a number of the players from that era.

Thanks for indulging me.
Did your brother play with Jason Collier in high school?
 
Yes, he did. Sort of. He tore his ACL and wasn’t able to play his senior year.
Ok. I texted my brother after I read your post last night. He told me he remembers Andy from his days as a manager during that time. His name is Jason Imes.

Sad how life's tragedies have struck that era of Indiana basketball. Neil Reed, Jason Collier, William Gladness, and now your brother.
All much too young.

My thoughts are with your family.
 
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Ok. I texted my brother after I read your post last night. He told me he remembers Andy from his days as a manager during that time. His name is Jason Imes.

Sad how life's tragedies have struck that era of Indiana basketball. Neil Reed, Jason Collier, William Gladness, and now your brother.
All much too young.

My thoughts are with your family.
Oh yeah - I'm pretty sure I've met your brother at some point, but I'd doubt he would remember me specifically. I'm guessing it's closing in on 25 years ago now.

I will say that some of the players from that era have really stepped up recently in contacting Sen. Braun about opening up access to clinical trials and medications for people with life-threatening diseases like ALS. It may help Andy with his struggles, but moving the needle significantly may help even more people down the road who are literally doing everything they can to stay alive.
 
Oh yeah - I'm pretty sure I've met your brother at some point, but I'd doubt he would remember me specifically. I'm guessing it's closing in on 25 years ago now.

I will say that some of the players from that era have really stepped up recently in contacting Sen. Braun about opening up access to clinical trials and medications for people with life-threatening diseases like ALS. It may help Andy with his struggles, but moving the needle significantly may help even more people down the road who are literally doing everything they can to stay alive.
What I feel is so troubling about ALS research (and I may be wrong) is that since it's relatively rare, drug companies don't have financial incentive to research it as much as, say erectile disfunction, high blood pressure, etc. That's what is so disheartening about "big pharma". If it's actually going to cure something in the short term, there's not as much incentive as a drug someone will have to use for the rest of their lives. There was a PBS Frontline about antibiotics which basically echoes that. They won't pour research dollars into something that you are only supposed to take for, say, 2 weeks.

OG, I have everyone in your family in my thoughts. I personally understand how this affects family because I've seen it first hand.
 
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Thanks to all of you who have contributed to my brother's GoFundMe page. Seriously, I really can't thank you enough.

Some of my brother's IU roommates and friends have tweeted it out and it's really gained a lot of traction. So much so, that I bumped the goal up a bit. It's really amazing how the Indiana community has stepped up here.

Really, thanks a million. It means a lot.
 
Thanks to all of you who have contributed to my brother's GoFundMe page. Seriously, I really can't thank you enough.

Some of my brother's IU roommates and friends have tweeted it out and it's really gained a lot of traction. So much so, that I bumped the goal up a bit. It's really amazing how the Indiana community has stepped up here.

Really, thanks a million. It means a lot.

ALS is a raw deal. I hope the money helps bring a little comfort to your family and lets your bro know his family is in good hands.
 
Thanks to all of you who have contributed to my brother's GoFundMe page. Seriously, I really can't thank you enough.

Some of my brother's IU roommates and friends have tweeted it out and it's really gained a lot of traction. So much so, that I bumped the goal up a bit. It's really amazing how the Indiana community has stepped up here.

Really, thanks a million. It means a lot.
Good! Hopefully it keeps going. they need a new thing to get it all goin again. the ice bucket challenge was fantastic. need another spark like that. as an aside i went to grad school in athens. loved it there. wonderful town and people
 
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Thanks to all of you who have contributed to my brother's GoFundMe page. Seriously, I really can't thank you enough.

Some of my brother's IU roommates and friends have tweeted it out and it's really gained a lot of traction. So much so, that I bumped the goal up a bit. It's really amazing how the Indiana community has stepped up here.

Really, thanks a million. It means a lot.

always moving the goalposts are you guys!

sorry to hear about your brother and also sorry for his family that has to deal with such a difficult situation with limited control.
 
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Good! Hopefully it keeps going. they need a new thing to get it all goin again. the ice bucket challenge was fantastic. need another spark like that. as an aside i went to grad school in athens. loved it there. wonderful town and people
Thanks - I've always thought of Athens as sort of a mini, slightly more earthy Bloomington. College towns really are the best.
 
What I feel is so troubling about ALS research (and I may be wrong) is that since it's relatively rare, drug companies don't have financial incentive to research it as much as, say erectile disfunction, high blood pressure, etc. That's what is so disheartening about "big pharma". If it's actually going to cure something in the short term, there's not as much incentive as a drug someone will have to use for the rest of their lives. There was a PBS Frontline about antibiotics which basically echoes that. They won't pour research dollars into something that you are only supposed to take for, say, 2 weeks.

OG, I have everyone in your family in my thoughts. I personally understand how this affects family because I've seen it first hand.
Sen. Braun is leading the charge in fixing things on this on the legislative front. To be totally honest, we have Michael Lewis to thank for calling attention to that and lighting that match. The national ALS groups are asking people to reach out to their legislators about the Promising Pathway Act.
 
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Sorry to hear this. I had an old IU roommate pass from ALS at 31, many years ago.
 
Oh wow - sorry to hear that. They've said that my brother having it at 43 is young - 31 is REALLY young. That really sucks.
Just 28 when initially diagnosed. He had just finished his MBA at Notre Dame and was working in Cincinnati. Ironically, his parents were in the funeral business and he spent his last months living in an apartment above the funeral parlor on their property. Didn’t bother him at all though, since he grew up around it. I saw him last about 16 months before he passed. He was a really good guy.
 
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