ALS saps probation officer's strength
Monday, April 23, 2007 Mail to a friend Printer Friendly Version

By Rodney Hart

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

The tremors in Frank Calkins' legs and arms pulse a little more each day. He can no longer raise his arms more than a few inches. His fingers have curled up, and he has to poke at his telephone and computer with a pencil.

Soon, the Adams County probation officer will be forced into a wheelchair because Lou Gehrig's disease is robbing him of muscle strength.

Once he worked out three times a week, played basketball and soccer, even ran two marathons.

Those days, he knows, are long gone.

It's not a fate he accepts easily. Calkins leans on his family, friends and fellow probation department employees. They are banding together this weekend for a three-day benefit. Proceeds will go to Calkins and his family for medical expenses.

"The hardest part is asking for help," Calkins said during an interview in his office. "Emotionally, that's tough."

Lou Gehrig's disease is officially known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It's a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease might become totally paralyzed. For most ALS patients, however, their minds remain unaffected.

"I'm still strong," Calkins said. "I'd say it's because of my attitude and because I was in such good physical shape."

Calkins is part of a clinical trial at Washington University in St. Louis. He's taking Ceftriaxone through a port in his chest. He thinks the medication is helping.

But he knows the disease is progressing. He had a bad fall recently and broke his nose. His fellow probation department employees pick him up and take him home from work, and he still puts in full days at the office, "but I don't do as much I used to do," he said.

Soon a peg will be placed in his stomach so he can get nutrition because he's having issues swallowing. His voice is starting to go, and his speech is slightly slurred and labored.

"It's been extremely hard," fellow probation officer Tracey Altgilbers said. "But he's such an upbeat guy, always has a laugh and a smile. He's our co-worker and best friend, and the probation department is a very close-knit family. Everybody takes care of everybody, and it's just become a part of our jobs."

Co-workers noticed Calkins talking about a lack of strength in his hands about a year ago. Last summer, while remodeling his house to prepare for the birth of his sixth child, Calkins dropped a hammer and realized something was very wrong.

His son, Cole, was born Oct. 5 but had health issues. Then Frank Calkins was officially diagnosed with ALS Oct. 23. Cole Calkins died Oct. 31. Frank and his wife, Collette, mourned the loss of their son and realized Frank was now in a fight for his life, as well.

"It was tough," he said. "But I get a lot of strength from my mother (Kathleen Calkins), and a lot of what I've learned to deal with this I learned from recovery."

Calkins is celebrating 22 years of sobriety and is known for his work with recovering addicts. He supervises many people on probation for drug charges, and he presides over the Wednesday night Adams County Drug Court support group.

"I've learned to accept it," he said. "My faith helps, too. My (Christian) faith is pretty deep."

Calkins says he doesn't have pain issues yet and he isn't on any pain medication, though he does have cramping and soreness in his legs.

The average life expectancy after ALS diagnosis is two to five years, and Calkins said he was told by doctors last fall he probably had three years to live.

Calkins has five children: Seth, 22, Emily, 20, Ray, 19, Jessie, 17, and Moses, 5. They will be at this weekend's events, as will Calkins' mother, and his eight brothers and three sisters.

Attitude, Calkins says, is the best medicine in fighting his disease. He still smiles and jokes, still tells stories while drinking Mountain Dew with friends at the tavern after work.

Mark Bortz, a lineman with the Chicago Bears 1985-86 Super Bowl champs, came to Quincy to meet Calkins last Friday. Bortz is from Wisconsin but also has a residence near Quincy and got to know friends of Calkins'. He presented a No. 62 jersey with Calkins' name on the back.

For once, Calkins shed an appreciative tear instead of his trademark laugh.

"People play football for themselves," said Bortz, a two-time All-Pro offensive lineman. "From what I've been told, you've made differences in people's lives."


Contact Staff Writer Rodney Hart at rhart@whig.com or (217) 221-3370