ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Sykes Eddition

We've been loving watching all these ice bucket challenges-- especially the extra-ordinary ones, the ones of friends and the growing love and support (all 63 buckets of love as they have been called)  for the (step) mom of some of our very first childhood friends back in Pennsylvania.  That all being said, my kids needed to understand the reason for this season... and so we've begun the learning process.

They have limited knowledge of the ability stealing disease of Multiple Sclerosis, which grandma has.  This life stealing disease seems to be in the same "family tree" per-se  of neuro diseases.  We watched several youtube mini documentaries on ALS and how it effects people with it and steals their abilities to do normal things.  I don't want to just play in ice water, make some laughs and film a video of us.  I want the kids (and myself) to understand why we did what we did.  The kids have watched me fund raise and practice and go off and participate in the MS150 for mom.  They could understand why I did all of this as they saw Grandma slowing down, loosing her ease in walking, and then we met Paula another MS Warrior.

For them ALS was unheard of.  For me ALS was practically unheard of.  I had heard the term and knew there was no cure-- like MS.  But that was about it.  It's amazing a month ago this was all a lot of people knew-- if that much.  And now with the great success of the ice bucket challenge this is a known term and to say awareness has rose would be an understatement.

I was challenged Saturday by my sweet honorary nephew, Jacob to do the Ice Bucket Challenge.  Then yesterday (Tues) Uncle Mark took the ice bucket challenge and nominated Anthony and Jayna.  Jayna has been sooooo anxious to be nominated as she watched Aunt Missy, her cousins Hunter, Parker, Lauryn, Aveeri, Ryan and Amanda all do their own challenges in addition to other friends.  And FINALLY she got called out.  I am pretty sure Uncle Mark nominated them so he could secure "Favorite Uncle of the week" status.  It worked.

Next I introduced them via fb to my childhood friends the McNeals.  And then they learned our friend Mrs. Joyce McNeal was recently diagnoses with ALS.  She via the pictures we see on fb seemed so normal so they now see it can strike anyone, not just "sick" people. 

Mrs. Joyce with the Pittsburg Pirates mascot along with her other ALS warrior friends

Sadly when I went to clean the house of my elderly friends (which I do every Tuesday) Mrs. Phyllis told me the horrible news that her nephew was diagnosed last week with ALS.  This evil disease is sneaking it's horrible head into our lives more and more and we are glad to help in whatever small way we can-- through this ice bucket challenge, through learning more about ALS and even by making a donation.

I always thought I was very grounded and believed what I believed full heartedly and strongly.  These past two weeks I realized that is no longer true on the one contoversial topic I have always held a zero tolerance stance: abortion.  I am so again abortion, and extremely pro adoption (that comes with being in a foster and adoptive family I would assume).  But with all the ALS challenges and donations comes contoversy over stem cell research and it was then I realized I am not fully grounded in my beliefs anymore.  Mom initially was saying don't donate b/c of stem cell research on aborted babies.  But you know I'm not sure how they get their stem cells-- abortion or cord blood.  I haven't done the full research.  What I do know though is, if I could donate and be guaranteed a cure for MS (which mom has) and get back the mom I had 5 or 10 years ago who was able to do whatever she wanted, was the most amazing handy man, could help remodel and do home maintenance, would enjoy shopping excursions, could go to the beach and enjoy the sand and some water, attend all the kids school activities w/o hesitation and more--- It would to ME be worth that stem cell research to restore my mom's health and physical abilities.  It is wonderful living close to my parents.  But it also sucks watching first hand my mom to loose more mobility, body functions and even moods and emotion changes.  I can only assume ALS families feel similarly.  I will donate $25 from our family to an ALS organization.    I have chosen to donate to the Pennsylvania Chapter of ALS in honor of Joyce McNeal (who lives in Pa).  They appear similar to local chapters of MS, where they help families dealing with MS not just all research.  When the time comes and Mrs. McNeal needs some additional resources I hope they are available to her.  For that reasoning I donated to this chapter.

So now without further yammering here are our Ice Bucket Challenges!

Jayna's Ice Bucket Challenge:  She nominated her Uncle Steve because he scared her last visit hahah, her cousins Kierra and Cale, her friend at school Brandon, her Aunt Karlee, and who she refers to as Uncle Phil (sorry Karlee--- although you two aren't together Jayna is still a fan of our favorite Lynchburg Police Department officer)
P.S. Aunt Beth, she chose not to nominate you because she didn't want it to cause you any health issues <3 <3

Anthony's Ice Bucket Challenge:  He nominated three friends from school; Wesley, Carson and Luke

Finally it was my turn.  I nominated a friend, Alisa, My brother Zach and his wife Rebekah and then Jayna and I agreed we should also nominate Nana Jan <3