Disability-MyExperiencewithALSIamquiteoftenasked:HowdoyoufeelabouthavingALS
Theansweris,notalot
Itrytoleadasnormalalifeaspossible,andnotthinkaboutmycondition,orregretthethingsitpreventsmefromdoing,whicharenotthatmany
ItwasagreatshocktometodiscoverthatIhadmotorneuronedisease
Ihadneverbeenverywellco-ordinatedphysicallyasachild
Iwasnotgoodatballgames,andmyhandwritingwasthedespairofmyteachers
Maybeforthisreason,Ididn'tcaremuchforsportorphysicalactivities
ButthingsseemedtochangewhenIwenttoOxford,attheageof17
Itookupcoxingandrowing
IwasnotBoatRacestandard,butIgotbyatthelevelofinter-Collegecompetition
InmythirdyearatOxford,however,InoticedthatIseemedtobegettingmoreclumsy,andIfelloveronceortwicefornoapparentreason
ButitwasnotuntilIwasatCambridge,inthefollowingyear,thatmyfathernoticed,andtookm