Glasgow widower says MND made his wife a 'prisoner in her own body'

Alan Ogg's romance with his wife, Liz, spanned 49 years before she was taken from him.

The pair met in 1967 and fell in love immediately, soon getting engaged and building a life together with two children.

But everything changed when Liz was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease (MND).

The Bearsden local and former teacher recalled his wife beginning to have trouble with speech and producing more saliva - a concern they initially brought to their dentist.

After an agonising 10 months - Liz was referred to neurologists, who took another seven months to deliver her diagnosis.

Although the couple already knew what words would come from the doctor's lips - the confirmation of her MND was a sudden and heavy weight upon their shoulders.

No cure

MND is a progressive, life-shortening illness, and there is currently no cure.

It is rapidly progressing terminal neurological condition, which stops signals from the brain reaching the muscles.

This causes muscle weakness and wasting, and it can rob someone of the ability to walk, talk, swallow and breathe unaided.

The average life expectancy is just 18 months from diagnosis.

Rugby legend Doddie Weir, who died in 2022, is one of the most high-profile Scots to have had the condition.

READ MORE: The life of Doddie Weir

'She fought to the very end'

Liz lived with her illness for three more years before sadly passing away on 16 November 2016.

Alan told Clyde 1: "We were lucky in a way.

"We had some more years together, although her condition was getting progressively worse and worse.

"Her illness just kept changing, but she was a very quick person to adapt.

"She said there are no such things as problems, they are only solutions...she's that kind of person.

"When she could no longer speak, she downloaded an app and would swear at me as the Queen or as a Russian countess."

'You become a prisoner in your own body'

Alan explained the "dreadful" ways the disease began to affect Liz.

He said: "Her speech really disappeared completely during that first year, then she had problems with walking and with preparing things, eating.

"We had to get to the stage of liquidising everything for her.

"Eventually she was in a wheelchair for moving around.

"The last six months were the worst ever because she could no longer breathe unaided.

"In the end, you become a prisoner in your own body - and that sounds really dramatic but that's exactly what it is - because her brain was totally active, totally on the ball.

"She was very brave and she fought to the very end, and I really do believe that she made a difference herself, as have so many other people with MND.

"I really do believe that she did and that's the memory I have of her fighting to the end."

Since losing Liz, Alan has written a novel titled ‘The Girl by the Grand Canal – The Four Seasons of Venice’, a non-fiction book which tells the story of his life with Liz, and their mutual love for the city of Venice.

All profits from the book are being donated to MND Scotland.

Learning sessions coming to Glasgow

The Oggs are one of 450 families who are currently supported by MND Scotland, as they navigate their way through what is described as a "brutal" disease.

The charity is now bringing a series of learning sessions to cities across the country, designed to bring those impacted closer to the researchers striving to help and one day, find a cure.

At the Glasgow event, there will be an opportunity to allow people with MND, carers, family and supporters to meet and engage with local MND researchers, to learn more about their work.

'It's a really brutal disease'

Paul Jensen, research lead for MND Scotland, said: "These sessions give people a chance to learn about research in a more personal manner than just reading about something on the internet.

"It also gives people the opportunity to give their thoughts and input into where research is, because we believe it's really important that the opinions of people who have or have been affected by MND help to shape the way the research is going.

"We've got three researchers talking. One of them will be talking about a project that's looking to improve MND diagnosis, another one will be talking about a project that is looking to find out more about what causes MND and the mechanisms behind it.

"It's a really brutal disease and people end up dying really quickly after diagnosis, partially because diagnosis takes such a long time and partially because it is such a quickly progressing disease.

"Your lifetime risk of actually developing MND is only 1 in 300. So, as much as it's maybe classified as a rare disease, really your chances developing it aren't that rare.

"I think it's really good for people just to be aware of that - but also to be aware of the things that are being done to try and help."

The free event takes place on 03 October 2024, 2pm at The Social Hub café, 15 Candleriggs, Glasgow, G1 1TQ,

For more information or to register,visit the MND Scotland website: www.mndscotland.org.uk/events

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