One Step at a TIme

I watched a Tedx Talk by Hiro Fujita about ALS. Well, I guess it was mostly by his friends. During the time this video was made Hiro was in the later stages of ALS where he had already lost the control of his own voice. His friends describe his childhood in Japan and how he was always known as the vibrant person who lit up every room. Hiro went to college in Hawaii and later got a job in a marketing firm. His boss talks about the confidence and can-do attitude that made him hire Hiro in the first place as well as helped him overcome every challenge he encountered. Then about 3 years ago, he began complaining of fatigue and numbness in his hands. After 3 months of testing he was diagnosed with ALS. The doctors pretty much told him there was no cure and good luck. Hiro had to figure it out on his own.

As the disease progressed Mr. Fujita had to watch his body die. Meanwhile, his brain functioning perfectly in the prison his own body had become. He was given a choice. At the point where his swallowing and breathing become too difficult, he had to decide whether to get a tracheostomy or “let nature take its course”. He chose to stay. And his reason – because he still had not made a difference in the world.

I picked this material because I wanted to learn more about how people cope throughout the course of neurodegenerative diseases. It seems like the videos I watch about individuals that have been affected by diseases like that are so inspiring. Instead of giving up, they get motivated to live life to the fullest. Even to the point of saying things like, “this experience was a blessing”. I went online and researched support groups/organizations for other neurodegenerative diseases and was amazed at the results. The multitude of people pushing for a change is humbling. The way I see it, a disease is only going to keep us down until it encounters enough resistance. Resistance in the form of pissed off people who want to prevent it so badly from it ever happening to anyone again that they will raise awareness to find the cure. Well, we are definitely one step closer. Thank you Hiro. 

If you want to watch this, check it out on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=30&v=FIBmKX4UnaE