This journal is to share Jeannette Lyne Ekstrand and her family who are going through two horrible diseases - Frontotemporal Degeneration, or FTD and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS. Jeannette was diagnosed with FTD and early-stage ALS in Feb 2018. FTD is a disease that results in continuous damage to the frontal lobes of the brain. The frontal lobe allows us to make every-day decisions, plans, and communication. FTD is a type of dementia where more than half the cases occur in people 45-64 years old. Jeannette is 52.
ALS is also a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spine, which leads to muscle wasting. Jeannette has a genetic disorder that can result in either or both FTD and ALS.
Jeannette is a loving mom to 3 great kids and a wife to Doug, her wonderful devoted husband. As friends and family know, she is the twin of a sister who was afflicted with the same two diseases. Jeannette is also a person of strong faith. She has looked to her faith to guide her through her sister’s disease. Her faith gives her strength every day as she confronts this disease.
Jeannette has worked most of her adult life but with the progression of FTD, the ability to communicate with people makes social interaction incredibly difficult. The main trait for the form of FTD that Jeannette has is the ongoing loss in one’s ability to moderate behavior in different social situations. Not only does FTD create an incredible strain on personal relationships it can be devastating to the financial state of a family living with it.
Please reach out with any questions or comments. Remember to return here,
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jetta as we will be providing updates as things progress. And most importantly, share this story wide and far. We are not only helping a beautiful person and wonderful family, but we are also fighting for everyone with this horrible disease and a future without FTD and ALS.
