I am a 63 year old male who has led a very active lifestyle. I am a Vietnam vet and I am so thankful to the quality of care I receive at the Minneapolis VA. I first noticed that I was slurring a few complex words just after Christmas 2008 although no one else seemed to notice. I was diagnosed with ALS at the U of MN ALS clinic on Apr. 29, 2009. I no longer can speak and use a machine to communicate. As of Feb 2011, I have become increasingly reliant upon my wheelchair. I do get fatigued easily and pace myself every day. In Nov, I started using my feeding tube for all my nourishment.