BobbyB
11-28-2006, 03:00 PM
Ill father wants brighter Christmas for family
By TONYA SMITH-KING
tsmithking@jacksonsun.com
MARTIN - It hurts Scott Webb that a fatal illness keeps him from doing many of the activities he once could with his 5-year-old daughter, Caroline. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis he was diagnosed with two years ago has taken much of his strength.
ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, progresses rapidly as it attacks the nerve cells that control muscles, according to the National Institutes of Health Web site. Muscles gradually twitch, weaken and waste away.
Sufferers "lose their strength and the ability to move their arms, legs, and body," the Web site states. They eventually cannot breathe without a ventilator when muscles fail in the diaphragm and chest wall.
"She remembers when I was healthy," Webb said of Caroline. "She always brings it up."
Something the child said brought tears to Webb's eyes as he shared it recently. She told her dad she wanted him to die so he could go to heaven and God could fix him, Webb said.
"But I don't know how he's going to get you back," she told him.
Scott Webb, 40, has been married for 13 years to Julie, 38, and they also have 16-month-old twins, Scottie and Emily. The family is being featured today as part of a series of stories on families who need assistance through the Brighter Christmas Fund.
In its 34th year, Brighter Christmas is a community outreach program that provides money, clothes, toys, food and other items to families in need throughout the year. Families featured in The Sun are referred by area social service agencies.
Betty Baker of Martin's We Care Ministries referred the Webbs. "I chose this family because of the overwhelming needs in their lives," Baker said. "This is an opportunity for our community to reach out and help support them in a way that will encourage them."
The family needs a handicapped-accessible van for Scott Webb. They're willing to purchase it but have had difficulty finding one.
They also need a handicapped-accessible ramp built on their home for Scott Webb's electric wheelchair and would appreciate learning toys for the twins and a Barbie doll for Caroline.
The last two years have been rough for the young family. Not only have they had to contend with Scott's illness, but they've also had the challenge of infant Scottie's numerous medical problems.
First, doctors realized that the child is missing a portion of his brain the size of his little fist. They diagnosed it as cerebral palsy.
Scottie also suffered a stroke before birth, which affected the right side of his body and the use of his right arm and leg. He is in therapy to correct the problem.
It was during this therapy that it was discovered that Scottie had another problem stemming from before his birth. A tense neck kept him from moving his head from side to side, causing him to look just one way.
The problem can happen with twins because of the limited space with two babies in the womb, Julie Webb said. Therapy has corrected the malady.
Scott Webb's troubles began in the winter of 2004. The former sheet metal worker started tripping over things and was noticing that he was getting more and more exhausted.
"One moment you think your life is going perfect, then something like this happens," Scott said.
He would like to bring more awareness to the illness.
When he was diagnosed, doctors gave him two to five years to live.
"It'll be two years next month," Julie said the day before Thanksgiving.
The thought of leaving his young family makes Scott feel guilty.
"I get more depressed than my wife knows," he added. "I feel, just bad, like I'm cheating my family."
"I told him it's not his fault," Julie interjected. "Nobody plans on getting sick."
A woman they met at an ALS fund-raiser who has lived 15 years with the disease gives the Webbs hope. And the little ones help them cope.
"They keep you busy," Scott said.
"We try to enjoy them," Julie added.
Visit jacksonsun.com and share your thoughts.
http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061128/NEWS01/611280305/1002
By TONYA SMITH-KING
tsmithking@jacksonsun.com
MARTIN - It hurts Scott Webb that a fatal illness keeps him from doing many of the activities he once could with his 5-year-old daughter, Caroline. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis he was diagnosed with two years ago has taken much of his strength.
ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, progresses rapidly as it attacks the nerve cells that control muscles, according to the National Institutes of Health Web site. Muscles gradually twitch, weaken and waste away.
Sufferers "lose their strength and the ability to move their arms, legs, and body," the Web site states. They eventually cannot breathe without a ventilator when muscles fail in the diaphragm and chest wall.
"She remembers when I was healthy," Webb said of Caroline. "She always brings it up."
Something the child said brought tears to Webb's eyes as he shared it recently. She told her dad she wanted him to die so he could go to heaven and God could fix him, Webb said.
"But I don't know how he's going to get you back," she told him.
Scott Webb, 40, has been married for 13 years to Julie, 38, and they also have 16-month-old twins, Scottie and Emily. The family is being featured today as part of a series of stories on families who need assistance through the Brighter Christmas Fund.
In its 34th year, Brighter Christmas is a community outreach program that provides money, clothes, toys, food and other items to families in need throughout the year. Families featured in The Sun are referred by area social service agencies.
Betty Baker of Martin's We Care Ministries referred the Webbs. "I chose this family because of the overwhelming needs in their lives," Baker said. "This is an opportunity for our community to reach out and help support them in a way that will encourage them."
The family needs a handicapped-accessible van for Scott Webb. They're willing to purchase it but have had difficulty finding one.
They also need a handicapped-accessible ramp built on their home for Scott Webb's electric wheelchair and would appreciate learning toys for the twins and a Barbie doll for Caroline.
The last two years have been rough for the young family. Not only have they had to contend with Scott's illness, but they've also had the challenge of infant Scottie's numerous medical problems.
First, doctors realized that the child is missing a portion of his brain the size of his little fist. They diagnosed it as cerebral palsy.
Scottie also suffered a stroke before birth, which affected the right side of his body and the use of his right arm and leg. He is in therapy to correct the problem.
It was during this therapy that it was discovered that Scottie had another problem stemming from before his birth. A tense neck kept him from moving his head from side to side, causing him to look just one way.
The problem can happen with twins because of the limited space with two babies in the womb, Julie Webb said. Therapy has corrected the malady.
Scott Webb's troubles began in the winter of 2004. The former sheet metal worker started tripping over things and was noticing that he was getting more and more exhausted.
"One moment you think your life is going perfect, then something like this happens," Scott said.
He would like to bring more awareness to the illness.
When he was diagnosed, doctors gave him two to five years to live.
"It'll be two years next month," Julie said the day before Thanksgiving.
The thought of leaving his young family makes Scott feel guilty.
"I get more depressed than my wife knows," he added. "I feel, just bad, like I'm cheating my family."
"I told him it's not his fault," Julie interjected. "Nobody plans on getting sick."
A woman they met at an ALS fund-raiser who has lived 15 years with the disease gives the Webbs hope. And the little ones help them cope.
"They keep you busy," Scott said.
"We try to enjoy them," Julie added.
Visit jacksonsun.com and share your thoughts.
http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061128/NEWS01/611280305/1002