Three Letters That Changed His Life–ALS

Scott Matzka and family

Scott Matzka was a professional hockey player for 11 years. Once he retired from hockey, he was still physically active. He'd run six-minute miles and hit golf balls well over 300 yards. He had two kids and was married for seven years before something unexpected happened. He started to have cramps in his arms, stiffness in his fingers, and he wasn't able to unclench his fist easily. It started getting worse over time. For several months, several blood tests and MRIs were taken. Afterwards, he was referred to a neurologist. Matzka had researched his symptoms and prayed that his neurologist wouldn't say 3 specific letters. After his neurologist performed several tests, he had a meeting with Matzka and asked him to sit down. Matzka's fears were realized; he was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). He knew it was a neurodegenerative, progressive disease that was fatal and that he only had about 3-5 years to live.

It's interesting to me how Matzka decided to carry on with his life knowing this information. We've all watched movies like The Bucketlist and have thought about what would we do if we knew we only had a few weeks or years to live, but sometimes I wonder how much we truly consider that. When faced with a situation like Matzka's, we don't have a choice but to really think about what are the most meaningful things in our lives. It gives you perspective.  I don't know if Matzka had an occupational therapist, but if he did, I imagine the therapist helping him create a bucket list and finding ways for him to travel and get around to places while he can.  I also imagine the OT giving him options for different kinds of adaptive equipment so he can be as independent as he can for as long as he can.

While he was able, Matzka decided he was going to travel with his family and friends and soak up every moment he could. He also decided that he was going to raise awareness and try to help those with ALS financially. When I looked up his site, MyTurn, I read a few of the statistics that surprised me. The most surprising thing I read was that it costs around $250,000 a year for a person with ALS to have what he needs and insurance doesn't cover the majority of it.  I can't imagine being part of a  family that not only has to deal with the hardships and heartaches of losing a loved one and watching him progressively lose function, but also be in so much debt because they can't pay the medical bills. This is why it is so important for us to help raise awareness about ALS and help support those with ALS as much as we can.

The reason I decided to watch the Tedtalk, How 3 Letters Changed My Life,  is because one of my friends recommended it since we are learning about ALS in our neuroaspects class. She told me how heartbreaking it was to listen to him speak about the reality of being diagnosed with ALS. She was right. The most heartbreaking part of the Tedtalk was when Matzka spoke about the fact that he wouldn't be able to watch his children grow up, he wouldn't be able to walk his daughter down the aisle, and he wouldn't be able to see his grandchildren one day. He said that it was really easy to see the darkness of the world and see how unforgiving it could be; however, the unwavering support and compassion people showed him helped him push through. It reminded him to make the most of the present and look at the diagnosis of ALS as an opportunity instead of an end.

 Matzka ended his Tedtalk by stating that one does not need an illness to gain perspective and I a hundred percent agree. We should think about what is meaningful to us and live our lives as fully as we can-having compassion for others and loving one another. We should especially be there for those who are going through the hardest of times. I pray and hope that as a future occupational therapist, I will have perspective and remember the reality of what my patients are dealing with. I pray and hope that I continue to remember that being an OT is so much more than a day job. It's a chance to love and serve others.

*You can watch his Tedtalk, How 3 Letters Changed My Life, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOK83OHmTbE
*His website: https://scottmatzka.com/take-a-turn (This website is helpful in understanding how much everything costs for a person with ALS)

Citations (APA):

Take a Turn. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://scottmatzka.com/take-a-turn

        Talks, T. (2017, March 16). How 3 Letters Changed My Life | Scott Matzka | TEDxUofM. Retrieved from https://www.   
            youtube.com/watch?v=NOK83OHmTbE