Athlete's prowess crippled by Lou Gerhig's Disease

August, 27, 2007

By David Burcham NEW CASTLE NEWS (NEW CASTLE, Pa.)

NEW CASTLE,, Pa.— One week after his daughter was born, Michael Porada learned his life would be cut short. If only he could hold Jadyn Elizabeth and rock her to sleep, or put his once-powerful arms around wife Missy and kiss her like he did when they were married in 2005. But the former New Castle High School athlete can do neither. In fact, Porada can no longer stand or speak. He has been stilled and silenced by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It’s ironic because the ailment is named for the famous baseball player who was called the “Iron Horse” for his endurance. At Allegheny College in the mid-1990s, Porada was an All-American baseball player known for his incredible energy and work ethic. Michael Bernarding, executive director of the ALS Association for Western Pennsylvania, said there have been no major advances in treating the disease since Gehrig died from it 65 years ago.

A LOVING HUSBAND Missy says Michael was a loving husband who was certain to be an ideal father. “He would have done everything with her (Jadyn),” Missy said. But that was before the couple’s dream of a happy life together turned into a nightmare. The harsh reality is that Missy knows she will have to raise Jadyn without Michael. “You become desensitized when you deal with it every day,” said Missy, a 1989 graduate of Shenango High School. “The joy has been sucked out of everything.” Using a spellboard to select letters and form words, Michael was able to express some of his thoughts and concerns. “I want Jadyn to be a loving and respectful person,” Michael said. “I would like her to have the best qualities of her mother and me. It pains me to have her grow up without her dad, but I have comfort in knowing that I am leaving her in good hands. “I embraced life to the fullest,” he said. “I worked hard and played hard. I traveled and never lost sight of my goals. I take great pride in knowing that I took care of my family, even before I had them.” Indeed. PLANNING FOR DEATH He has already planned his funeral and is devising an investment plan with the insurance money that will be paid upon his death to help support Missy and Jadyn when he’s gone. He has videotaped special messages for his daughter. Missy says Jadyn will watch them “when she’s old enough to understand.” Michael has a living will that indicates he does not want to be kept alive by a tube. That means when the disease progresses to that point, he will be allowed to die. Michael, who turned 32 last month, was a muscular 5-10, 215 pounds on his wedding day, Sept. 3, 2005. An avid weight trainer, Michael has lost more than 50 pounds and virtually all of his strength in the past year. “Michael was always a high-energy guy,” said Anthony Razzano, a boyhood friend and former baseball teammate.

TROUBLE IN MEXICO Missy is convinced that “some type of parasite was in the water” in Mexico, where they went on their honeymoon. She says Michael ingested a lot of water during their snorkeling adventures. “We swam more than two miles during the day at three different locations and we constantly came up coughing and choking.” They both became sick, but Missy, a former lifeguard, recovered in days while Michael remained ill for weeks. And when he finally got over it, the tingling sensations began. “Nobody has a clue what caused this, so they can’t rule anything out.” Everything seemed to be right on schedule for the young couple after Missy learned she was pregnant two months later. “We didn’t want to wait long to have children,” Missy said. “We planned to have two children and we wanted them to be close in age.” But things soon changed.

Symptoms continued Michael got sicker during Missy’s pregnancy. He began to waver while walking up steps. The tingling sensation worsened in his face and hands. Doctors first believed his problems were related to anxiety. Later his condition was incorrectly linked to blood sugar and sleep apnea. Finally, he was misdiagnosed with myasthenia gravis, which required surgery. That, in retrospect, may shorten his life. When the symptoms continued, Michael was scheduled to see another specialist, but the only available date was the same day that Missy was due to deliver. So her C-section was postponed until after Michael’s three-hour appointment. “I delivered that night,” she said. Michael was in the operating room and was able to hold Jadyn moments after her birth. “That was the best and the worst day ever,” Missy said. A week later, their worst fears were confirmed.

Speech device needed

Former New Castle High School athlete Michael Porada has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He is unable to walk or talk. Using a spellboard to select letters and form words, Michael is able to communicate, but it is becoming a slow and tedious process. Missy Porada says her husband needs a speech device that could help him communicate. She is hoping someone who either has one or knows someone who does will get in touch with her at 724 652-4433. Hospice is providing care for Michael, but it would be discontinued if the family purchases such a device because that would be termed as “aggressive treatment.” Missy doesn’t understand. “I don’t see how it could be aggressive treatment. Everyone is entitled to be able to communicate.” The ALS has a lender program, but none are available at this time.

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