julie kottsick

The Life In Her Years

We first met Julie Kottsick and her family, husband Bud and children Evan and Carly [now 16 and 14 years old], back in 2008 when we featured their story in the second issue of On The Minds Of Moms Magazine.

Julie has ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease which attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscles—muscles used to walk, talk, and breathe. It’s been nine years since Julie first noticed weakness in her left hand, a virtually undetectable slur in her voice, and a slight loss of balance. Even though ALS has robbed her of physical abilities, she greets everyone with a smile that reflects her beauty inside and out, and continues to seize every day.

what are some of your highlights of the last five years?

I have to go with the obvious: I’m still here. Nine years after being diagnosed with ALS, facing a statistic of a two-to-five-year lifespan, I’m happy to be an active participant and witness in my family’s life. We have been able to take several mini-vacations. Extended travel has gotten very difficult for me, but a few long weekends out of town have been a great alternative.

how has your health been?

Stable. With ALS stable is as good as it gets, so we feel blessed that the last three or four years I have remained steady. The lack of mobility is easier to handle emotionally than the fact that I can’t speak clearly. I guess after all my years of talking it is time to listen. Overall, I feel healthy and I am not in any pain.

what are your goals for the coming years?

Initially my goal was to see my son get into high school and my daughter into middle school. Since we surpassed that goal, I hope to see both kids graduate from high school and continue on their life journey. I would like to be around long enough to be their friend.

what do you hope people know about you?

I am truly joyful. We love to laugh in our home; especially at ourselves. Life is short…regardless of circumstances.

when it comes to your family, what makes

you beam with pride?

We have a family mission statement, “Practice gratitude, lend a hand, you can make a difference and give us all a reason for hope.” I feel as though we really have learned to live by this statement. Watching our kids grow into empathetic, compassionate people, with a real zest for life, is our greatest blessing.

how do you continue to ‘seize the day?’

“Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” - Robert

Brault

Every day new opportunities to find joy and beauty arise. I strive to keep my heart and mind open.

Read Julie’s winter 2008 cover story in its entirety here: http://www.onthemindsofmoms.com/past-issues/ www.onthemindsofmoms.com