Shiver struggles to hang on

By Jeremy Henderson
Friday, August 1, 2008 9:26 PM CDT



Less than one year ago Keith Shiver could step out of his truck and walk through the front door of his home in Gantt to receive a loving greeting from his 3-year-old son, Luke, but now, after being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, even the smallest tasks have become the biggest challenges.

Lynn Shiver, Keith's wife, said doctors originally thought he was suffering from lyme disease when symptoms began to appear almost a year and a half ago, but when tests for lyme disease failed to yield a positive, doctors turned to a different diagnosis.

"It happened pretty fast," Lynn said. "First he started to have really bad muscle twitches and his muscles gradually wore down. His muscle spasms have just about quit now. Some days he does well and other days are not so good.

"He was diagnosed a little over a year ago in Ozark and has been diagnosed with the disease by two or three other doctors since that time," she added.

Lynn said, since Keith's condition has declined, she has quit working so that she could stay home to help. Keith, who worked as a foreman for W.S. Newell Construction Co., has been unable to work for almost a year. The family did not have many bills at the time Keith was diagnosed, according to Lynn, but his declining condition has led to the purchase of a wheelchair-accessible van and rising medical expenses for routine doctor visits and medication.

"He is currently on Rilutek, which is the only approved medicine for Lou Gehrig's disease," Lynn said. "They have a new study out using lithium, usually used to treat bipolar disease. They have found that, in some studies, lithium has reduced the effects of Lou Gehrig's disease. He has not been taking lithium very long, but maybe it will work."



The only approved drug, Sanofi-Aventis's Rilutek, slows the fatal muscle-wasting disease by just a few months. Numerous experimental drugs have flopped in trials.

Keith's mother, Juanita Bowers, said the entire family is simply praying for a miracle to help slow down or remove Keith's ailments.

"Keith has a lot of close friends," she said. "The Newell group, the people he worked with, have been very supportive. They collected donations at work and brought them to Keith. They have been keeping in touch through everything. Everybody has just been wonderful. We are still hoping and praying something will change."

Bowers said several small yard sales have also been held to help collect money to help support the Shiver family, but another event is planned in the near future to help generate even more funds for the family.

"We are planning a spaghetti dinner for Tues., Aug. 5," Bowers said. "It will be a $5 spaghetti plate that will include a drink and bread. We will be serving the plates from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Green's BBQ on Alabama Highway 29 North in Gantt.

"We could not ask for better friends," she added. "Everyone has been so supportive."



Lynn said she was a bit overwhelmed at first by the large number of people calling and stopping by their home to offer a helping hand.

"People have been coming out to help from everywhere," she said. "Some of the people we have not seen in a long time. Everyone has been extremely generous to us. It has been very helpful and appreciated. We want to thank everyone for their prayers and support."

Bowers said Hilltop Meat Company offered to donate the hamburger meat for the spaghetti supper fund-raising event for Keith Shiver. Any other donations or contributions may be dropped off at Green's between 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. For more information please call 222-6030 or 388-2550.

Lou Gehrig's disease is a progressive neuromuscular disease that weakens and eventually destroys motor neurons (components of the nervous system that connect the brain with the skeletal muscles). Skeletal muscles are involved with voluntary movements, such as walking and talking. Patients become paralyzed and often require ventilation and surgery to provide a new opening in the stomach (gastrostomy). Loss of respiratory function is ultimately the cause of death.

"We are praying for a miracle," Keith said.

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