Today, we mark two years since our beloved Jim passed away. Our Plews-Ogan family, including Rowan and baby Phoebe, Erin and Hal, and Will and Monika, are gathering for the weekend as we will every year. This year, we’re in Minneapolis. The time together has given us...
In the first year of Jim living with ALS, Peggy suggested that we record his voice reading children’s books aloud while he still had his voice. Like many families living early on with ALS, we delayed voice-banking. Voice-banking is one of many efforts in ALS land that...
Some days were “cold-start” days. When the sun rose or before, my mom would lift my dad’s head off the pillow, fold each leg upward with a hand under each knee, and pivot his torso towards the edge of the bed. I would—on visits back to Charlottesville from New York...
This week, on July 3, marks one year since Jim died. The Plews-Ogan family, including Rowan, Erin’s and Will’s spouses—Hal and Monika—and Monika’s sister Shallu, will be gathering for the week together. One of the ways we will be remembering Jim/Dad/Granddad is by...
Before Jim died, he wanted to write about each of the components of the ALS-Turbocharged Living Tool. He never got to finish that work. Jim was an accomplisher. He did not like unfinished tasks. So, it has been bothering me. Like seeds left unplanted, or a dangling...
We created this page as a place for those who love Jim to share memories, stories, and anecdotes about him. All comments and stories submitted will be posted publicly as a comment below. This page will remain up on the website as a testament to Jim’s incredible...
Do you ever think about heaven? I do. I ask, knowing full well that heaven can be a loaded topic. Age-old questions loom large over its very nature. Is there a heaven? Where is it? What’s it like? Are there entrance criteria? Are dogs and horses allowed? According to...
Peggy is truly the public speaker in the family, even though she is the most introverted. Her leadership positions have necessitated planned speeches in large public settings, extemporaneous remarks at dinners, and many toasts. She has all the experience and none of...
On occasion I forget that I have ALS. More accurately, I forget that I have significant ALS-related disabilities. A prime example occurs when I try to speak after I have been writing for a while. I open my mouth, fully expecting to speak with the same fluency I have...
As you might imagine, my notions of work and purpose changed radically when I retired prematurely due to ALS. I had spent my adult life describing my work as a vocation, because I derived a deep purpose from my role as a nurse and as a pediatrician. I experienced a...
Today, we mark two years since our beloved Jim passed away. Our Plews-Ogan family, including Rowan and baby Phoebe, Erin and Hal, and Will and Monika, are gathering for the weekend as we will every year. This year, we’re in Minneapolis. The time together has given us...