Stories & Updates

We add new stories and updates every few weeks. Sometimes we're traveling, often there are cute moments to share, and occasionally we run into some serious surprises.

Welcome, dear friends and readers, to our new fundraising hub! After finishing the ramp in the backyard we were given the opportunity to utilize an amazing discount on a Sleep Number bed. As these beds greatly improve quality of life and independence for persons diagnosed with ALS, we've decided to move forward with the purchase.

Even with the incredible offer that was given to us by our friends over at the Sleep Number store in Duluth, we were given an estimate of over $8,000 for this purchase. While we are grateful for a minimal interest rate on this offer, this will limit our care budget in other areas.

If you have the means and ability to support this venture, we would be so incredibly grateful. Donations are accepted through Bruce's Venmo. Just be sure to use the "Friends and Family" option to help ensure the entirety of your donation can be used to support this purchase: @Bruce-Truebenbach

CURRENT FUNDRAISING STATUS: $1,000 / $8,000

Once we meet our fundraising goal, excess funds will be returned to late donors unless otherwise specified. Future needs include, but aren't limited to:

• Adding side ramps to the new ramp in the backyard to allow the snowblower and lawn mower to go on/off the ramp without needing to be lifted.

• Replacement batteries for the power wheelchair, estimated to cost $700. We are exploring donation options for this expense, which may render this ask unnecessary.

• Walk-In Bathtub, or Accessories to modify the existing tub.

Thank you so much for considering our request, and we wish everyone a very scary spooky season! We love this time of year and look forward to playing some scary games this month.

Bruce, Jenny, Annika, Nick and Kim

Pictured: Jenny, Nick, Annika, Kim and Bruce laugh and act silly while playing Carcassonne during a family game night.

It's taken 13 volunteers almost two months to move and extend the existing deck and create a ramp. We couldn't be more grateful for everyone's time and energy throughout this project. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to the following folks who joined us on work days in order to get this ramp 99% done:

• Chad Scott, who donated his time and construction expertise to design the ramp and lead volunteers in the construction.

• Volunteers Tracey Hagee, David Bohn, Lily Bohn, Bridget Bohn, Anne Hansen, Eric Hansen, and Joe Hanggi for moving the existing deck to prepare for the extension piece.

• Volunteers Nick Spriggs, Maggie Henstorf, Tracey Hagee, and Keiko the wonder dog for building the deck extension.

• Volunteers Kurt and Karl Kamrud, along with eldest daughter Annika and her husband Nick, for building the ramp itself.

• Wife Jenny for coordinating needs with volunteer schedules and taking on trenching that redirects water that builds up at the bottom of the hill where the deck sits.

• Bruce for diligently throwing the ball for Keiko and for being the master chef of all volunteer work parties, with youngest daughter Kim as his assistant.

Next spring we hope to install access ramps, which will allow items like the snowblower and lawn mower to move around the ramp without needing to be lifted. In the meantime, we're going to enjoy watching Bruce roll around on his new ramp!

Thanks again everyone!

Bruce, Jenny, Annika, Nick and Kim

Pictured: Kurt and Karl Kamrud stand on either side of Bruce on the ramp they helped construct.

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of the Redenbaugh Family, Bruce was given a power wheelchair. During a weekend spent in the cities for dinner and a comedy show, he had the first opportunity to use it. While traveling five blocks to dinner, Bruce turned a corner and took off like a rocket! Jenny couldn't keep up with him, and the evening was filled with laughter.

This gift allows Bruce to maximize the energy he has, helping ensure that he can enjoy each day to the fullest. We are so grateful to the Redenbaugh Family, and are more determined than ever to finish the ramp in the backyard so that Bruce can regularly show off his new moves!

We feel that Jenny spoke about the first outing with the chair the best. You can read her full update to learn more here.

With gratitude,

Bruce, Jenny, Annika, Nick and Kim

Pictured: Bruce during his first outing while utilizing the power wheelchair during a date night with Jenny in the Twin Cities.

Well, it's taken four months, but Bruce was officially diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, at his latest neurology appointment.

We expected this appointment to be our first ALS Clinic, having spent the last few months visiting various specialists to confirm the initial diagnosis and being told that we were being referred to the ALS Clinic during our last appointment. However, today's appointment was the final visit with a specialist to confirm the diagnosis. Now that we have official documentation confirming Bruce's diagnosis, we were able to schedule our first ALS Clinic.

What is an ALS Clinic?

An ALS Clinic is unique in the United States, as Bruce will be shown into one room of one medical building. From there, all of the specialists he needs to see will visit him to perform their evaluations and tests, saving Bruce and Jenny from having to schedule and manage these appointments - and the information they provide - individually. As an additional resource, the ALS Clinic has a lending closet of items that families can utilize as needed and available. We are excited to get our hands on a walker for Bruce until we can get a wheelchair!

While we await our first ALS Clinic, we are hurrying to apply for things like disability now that we have the documentation to do so. Recently it has become apparent to Bruce - and his caring co-workers - that he should not continue working. It's been a challenging decision to come to, but the paperwork related to applying for and maintaining things like disability seems to equate to a part-time job in itself! We're also looking forward to having more time to spend with Bruce as a family.

Thank you again to our amazing community for your support in these last few months. Having first suspected that Bruce was developing symptoms in April, it has been such a rollercoaster getting to this day. Your support has helped us keep our hands on the rails.

Much love everyone,

Bruce, Jenny, Annika, Nick and Kim

Pictured: Jenny and Bruce at the Blues Festival in Duluth on August 10th, which is how the two celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary.