Carol
First of all I must tell you that I am sorry to hear what your father is going through. My father in law has been diagnoised with ALS a year ago and he is still walking and he still has some use of his arms and hands, but gets tired very easily. You can't understand hardly anything he says because of the muscle lose in his throat area. He does have great difficulty eating and swallowing. He has lost a lot of weight because of this and is getting ready to have a feeding tube inserted. He has been going to the ALS center at the North Carolina Baptist Hospial in Winston Salem. They have helped him in many ways, such as free testing, loan of wheelchairs and shower seat, and a speech instrument. They have been there for him in everyway they possible can. We visit him often because I feel that is what he lives for right now, is to be with his family as much as he can. The only good thing about this disease is that they are not in any pain. Thank God for that! It is a hard thing to watch. Seeing right before your eyes a large man shrink incredibly fast and what use to be the life at a party just sit there and try to talk but can't be understood. Someone who loves a good meal, but can not simply because he can't swallow food without the fear of choking. Good luck in finding a support group and other available help.