Meet Cheryl Fleming

My name is Cheryl Fleming. My husband, Matt, and I live in Fort Dodge. We have two wonderful twins, Claire and Cooper Fleming.
May 1st, 2024 was a life-changing day for myself and my family. That was the day I was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), ALS, often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive terminal neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. With no known cure and a gradual loss of muscle control and function the average survival time is 2-5 years.
The journey to receiving an ALS diagnosis was long and arduous. I underwent numerous tests, consultations, and medical procedures. During each visit to Mayo Clinic, I was accompanied by my children, spouse, or friends.

The day I finally received my diagnosis I will always remember asking the doctor “ok, what do we do from here?” I was ready to fight this disease. His response was “take a multi vitamin and whatever you planned to do when you retired start doing it tomorrow.”
At that moment it felt like the world had stopped. I had so many plans, all I could think of was leaving my husband and kids way too soon. This was not the plan! My twins are 23 years old, although adults they were still so young. So many chapters in their lives I was going to miss out on.
Matt and I had wonderful plans for retirement and “growing old together” Now he was going to be thrown into being my caretaker and our dreams of retirement forever altered.
The first month or so there were a lot of tears, tears of sadness and uncertainty, uncertainty because ALS robs you of independence as it chooses, so you grieve each loss as it happens, never knowing when or what will be taken next.
I focused on finding ways for my family and I to accept this situation and regain the strength to enjoy life again. My strength was realized in all the loving family and friends that supported me during these hard days.

I understood more than ever that time is not guaranteed, it was time to make my days count. ALS has also provided me with blessings that many of us take for granted most days:

· After my diagnosis both of my kids moved back home (my biggest blessing)
· I have time to love people and let them know how much they mean to me. Many people never get that opportunity.
· We hung a “fun” calendar on our wall. We always make sure we have something planned, time with our friends, a       movie, game
night, something to look forward to.
· That worrying is a waste of precious time.
· That holding on to anger is a waste of peace.

I am so excited and grateful for Kara and the wonderful volunteers of “My Happy Place” to help create a peaceful place that I can enjoy. It’s in BIG letters on my “fun” calendar.