I’d like to thank many people who helped me in this, as rewarding as it is difficult, yet extraordinary, journey.
Thanks to this disease I was able to meet you, the healers and it is one of the many positive side of ALS.
First and foremost I’d like to acknowledge the unwavering support of my wife, and her infinite source of love.
Thank you, my parents for your love and the time you spent watching over me. Thank you, my daughters, for simply being who you are. Thank you, my sisters and brothers for their patience and their understanding. Thank you, my real friends, you are indeed my friends. Impossible not to mention Ziad, who was extraordinary.
Thanks to you both, Hinda and Guillaume, for leaving your lives to be among us. Thank you, my parents-in-law, for your physical and moral presence.
Everyone remains in the core of my heart.
Thanks to all my carers:
Lahou, Damien, Romain, Lilian, Marie, Marina, Laura, all astounding independent nurses. My champions personal carers: Marion, Caro, Quentin, Pierre, Aurélie, Anne-Lise, Lucie, Élisa, Mercedes. Béa, Françoise, Marine, Mathieu, Véronique, Elodie, my great physiotherapists.
My dear doctors: Dr. Combes, Dr. Terras, Dr. Bah, Dr. Plégat, Dr. Pailhas. Céline, Marion, Frédérique, Aline, Sylvie and every trainees at Albi’s H.A.D. Everyone in the intensive care unit – the “Hop Team” – at the Hospital of Albi.
When I came out of this unit after 2 months I wrote those few affection lines to acknowledge them: “Crazy-Manu, Actin’ fast-yet-slacker Clément, Amélie the serial jabber, Simon the barber, Joke Max, Isa The Voice, The boss Laureen, Marion my favorite, Yohan the engineer, Jean-Miche Papiche, Lolote the female-rapper, Night watchman Totof, Night-life Jaja, mes qué un club Xavier, Seb the divine masseur, Seb glasses, Allez l’OM !, Chillin’ Jess, Alex fantômette, Candide Karima, Sandra miss hop, To the rescue Mélanie, Never under 200 mph Magalie, Baby by Night Marie, Suzy the masseur, Biloute, Aurélie: a smile in the night; Sylvie: always the good mood; Émilie, Pascale, Amélie Amélix, Patricia, Aurore, The blood Charlotte, I can’t take it no mo’ Nikolaï, Cyrielle, Adélaide, Sandrine, Laure, Céline… I know I forget some, sorry about that; may y’all be acknowledged.
A big thank you to Isabelle and Sophie, both physiotherapists; and Florence the secretary, Patricia the executive, and Élodie the orderly. Doctors, of course; I do have nicknames for y’all but I’ll keep them to myself ‘cause we weren’t intimate enough. Nevertheless you have all my gratitude.
Oh, okay… if you insist… Michel: Master Sprinter; Sylvain: fo’ real he’s a DJ; Bertrand: first of the class; Marie-Françoise: Cash Woman; Chantal: Mafalda; Dr. Cantero: The new one; Gwilherm: Dr. Combres’ hidden son. And not to forget Jean-Marc, the infiltrated hypnotical paramedics, thanks to whom I get my sleep back.
I wish to warmly thank Marie-Claude, my aunt, whom has corrected and got in shape all this texts and also my friend Michaël John “Mykee” for the conception of the website.
Thank you to the team of people who helped translate this website:
– Kim Szymczak, freelance translator
– dapprentice
– Joanna Monteis
– Bruizza
At last, the doctor Jean-François Virolès who has carefully red all of my articles, and was an excellent technical and philosophical advisor.
Most thanks to y’all.