Ferndale comes to help of veteran facing a different danger
Source
Donna Tam The Times-Standard
Article Launched: 01/05/2008 01:24:20 AM PST
FERNDALE -- Retired Army Sgt. Justin Hindley has stared danger in the face, surviving two tours in Iraq and three improvised explosive devices detonating near him. But now he is facing another kind of danger.
The 24-year-old has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, an incurable disorder that causes a person to gradually lose muscle control.
ALS affects Hindley's daily activities. His muscles get stiff and it has become hard for him to move.
It has been difficult for the young man, who is used to being active, but he has his home town behind him. Several Ferndale organizations are putting on a M*A*S*H-themed fund raiser on Jan. 19 in honor of Hindley, a fifth-generation native.
”It's killer,” Hindley said about the event, smiling. He and his wife, Corey, 26, plan to wear fatigues to the M*A*S*H Bash, along with T-shirts designed for the event.
He moved back to Ferndale in April and lives there with his wife and daughter, 20-month-old Leslie. The couple met in Tennessee, where Hindley was based while he was serving, and they have been married for two years, almost the same amount of time Hindley has been living with the symptoms of ALS.
During his second tour of Iraq, Hindley developed pain in his wrists, making it hard for him to lift equipment. First diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome, the condition spread to the rest of his body. A few medical examinations and about a year later, he was diagnosed with ALS in July of 2006.
”This is a very big issue in the veterans community,” said Dallas Forshew, manager of clinical research at the Forbes Norris MDS/ALS Research Center in San Francisco, which Hindley has been visiting since September. Forshew said there has been research linking service in the Persian Gulf area to ALS, because of environmental risks.
According to an ALS Association report last May, focused on the military connection, Gulf War veterans are three times as likely to develop ALS than the general population. The number of veterans could continue to grow as the veteran population ages, since ALS usually doesn't develop until after a person is 40 years old.
Hindley is a rare exception because he is so young. He's not sure if there is a connection, but he doesn't focus on it. He has accepted his illness and has learned to live his life around it.
The main thing is to be prepared, Hindley said. That means remembering to bring his wheelchair or scooter if he knows he will have to walk for a long time, and making sure he stretches his muscles daily.
”He's got a great attitude; so does his wife,” said Forshew, who is planning to attend the fund-raiser.
Hindley visits the San Francisco center every three months. Forshew said a person cared for at a multidisciplinary team clinic like Forbes Norris can live almost a year longer. On average, an ALS patient has a life expectancy of two to five years after the symptoms begin. Only 10 percent of patients will live more than five years, Forshew said.
”He's doing very well. Maybe his age is a factor,” Forshew said. Statically, patients younger than 45 tend to live a little longer.
A few months ago, Hindley began a drug trial that was supposed to slow down the progression of ALS. Forshew said it was a very brave move. The trial, a “phase one” trial, was given only to a small number of people in case it caused harm.
”People who enter a 'phase one' share a huge amount of faith. He really wanted to help other people. . . I think it's the same spirit he had when he went off to fight the good fight,” said Forshew.
The drug takes 30 minutes to inject and has to be kept frozen before it is injected. The whole process takes hours to complete, and Hindley had to take weekly trips to San Francisco as part of the program.
But he stopped after a month. The drug had to be injected through a catheter, which fell out unexpectedly. Hindley decided not to go through surgery again to have the tube replaced. He is waiting for another trial to become available in the next few months.
Dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans, Hindley is a picture of youth. As he sits on his family's couch, he adjust his cap while he talks.
”A lot of the work falls on her... she does too much,” he said referring to his wife.
”It's not that bad,” Corey Hindley replied, fiddling with a dog tag she was wearing -- another M*A*S*H Bash souvenir.
Hindley appreciates his community's efforts. Although the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can cover some medical costs, it will not be able to take care of it all. As Hindley loses more of his muscle control, he'll need to buy a van and make it handicapped assessable, and buy other equipment to make getting around a little easier.
The Ferndale Clothing Company and the Ferndale Enterprise, along with the Ferndale Rotary Club, are cosponsoring the event. The sponsors are hoping to raise $25,000, which seems attainable since the tickets are almost sold out. Sales from event T-shirts and dog tags will also go to helping Hindley and his family.
The most important thing is to let Hindley know the community supports him, said Karen Pingitore, owner of the Ferndale Clothing Company.
”This is like a giant community hug for this young man,” she said. She hopes it will create a fun memory for Hindley.
Hindley is trying to create as many memories as he can. He has been focused on spending time with his family, especially his daughter. Being a parent has been a good experience.
”It's fun. It's entertaining,” he said, smiling.
”She gets into everything,” his wife said, sharing her husband's smile.
They take Leslie to the park and go on trips to Tennessee every few months. He wants his daughter to remember him: “We just have to do as much together as we can.”
IF YOU GO
What: M*A*S*H Bash
When: 6 p.m. to midnight
Where: Belotti Hall, Humboldt County Fairgrounds, Ferndale
Cost: $40.77 per person; call 786-4611 or 786-4111 for tickets
Donna Tam can be reached at 441-0532 or dtam@times-standard.com.
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