M.S.A. ( Multiple System Atrophy)

I can see your dirty work

Taking more of his soul

Holding his feet with weights

Letting him move no more

You can’t begin to know

What you are doing

To his emotions

As you slither your

Way as a snake crawls

In tall grasses

Not only have you

Taken his strength

You have stripped

His hope

You have caused

Nothing but

Sadness and grief

You will not stop

You will continue on

Until you have sapped

The last breath he has

And he lays down

Never to return.

Written by,

Terry Shepherd

08/15/2013                                                                         

The Hospice nurse told me this morning that pain medications have to be increased. The M.S.A. is being aggressive now, taking what ever Al has left to fight with. Al has not been able to move his feet to transfer now for almost a week. Last night when I put him to bed he cried and told me,” I can’t fight anymore sis. I am tired and sick of being sick. Just throw me a way.”

What is Multiple System Atrophy?

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by symptoms of autonomic nervous system failure such as fainting spells and bladder control problems, combined with motor control symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, and loss of muscle coordination. MSA affects both men and women primarily in their 50s.  Although what causes MSA is unknown, the disorder’s symptoms reflect the loss of nerve cells in several different areas in the brain and spinal cord that control the autonomic nervous system and coordinate muscle movements.  The loss of nerve cells may be due to the buildup of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the cells that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter that relays motor commands in the brain.

Is there any treatment?

There is no cure for MSA. Currently, there are no treatments to delay the progress of neurodegeneration in the brain. But there are treatments available to help people cope with some of the more disabling symptoms of MSA.

What is the prognosis?

The disease tends to advance rapidly over the course of 9 to 10 years, with progressive loss of motor skills, eventual confinement to bed, and death. There is no remission from the disease. There is currently no cure.