FLORENCE, NJ - Bill Martinson was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease in 1999 after he began to experience a number of puzzling symptoms.

He began to have difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking, and would sometimes drop objects from his hands, said his wife, Liz.

Today Mr. Martinson, 47, requires 24-hour care from a nurse or family member at his home, where he is on a ventilator and feeding tube.

A master plumber, he is no longer able to work, and his family is struggling to pay off the Railroad Avenue house so they will be able to afford to have a second nurse to assist with his round-the-clock care.

Lou Gehrig's disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a progressive degenerative disease affecting nerve cells. ALS can result in complete paralysis, but the mind generally remains alert and unaffected, according to the Philadelphia-based ALS Hope Foundation.

A fund established in Mr. Martinson's name through Holy Assumption Church in Roebling will help the family pay off the house that they built with their own hands six years ago and, it is hoped, allow them to provide for additional care in the home.

"This house is very sentimental to us," Ms. Martinson said. "We literally built it ourselves with our friends in town. So many people have made their mark on it."

A U.S. Army veteran, past post commander of American Legion Post No. 194 and past county commander, Mr. Martinson worked as a master plumber before his diagnosis.

"He's received a lot of support from his post, from the church and from the community," said Ms. Martinson. "With my job, and with his SSI (Social Security Income benefits), if I don't have to pay the mortgage, we can survive. Without that, we'll go under."

The family also receives support and care from the ALS Hope Foundation.

"Everyone is working very hard to find a cure or to slow it down or stop it in its tracks," said Ms. Martinson.

A nurse cares for him during the hours that Ms. Martinson works as cafeteria manager at Bordentown Regional High School. Right now, she and her three children care for him during the other 16 hours of the day.

The Martinsons' children, sons Bill III, 22, Jimmy, 12, and daughter Tenielle 13, are handling their new responsibilities very well, said Ms. Martinson.

"They were very upset at first, but they are learning to take care of him," she said. "We use a communication board with the alphabet on it."

She said she points to a letter and her husband indicates it is the letter he wants.

The process of communicating can be very frustrating, she said, because she knows he wants to communicate with the family but is not able to.

Watching the disease progress has taken a toll on the family, but they remain strong and committed to his care, said Ms. Martinson.

According to the ALS Association (ALSA), a national nonprofit organization, about half of ALS patients live two to five years after diagnosis, but some have been known to live up to 20 years and there have been cases where symptoms have stopped or reversed. For now, the family hopes for a cure.

"It's like he is losing every little piece of his being, slowly," said Ms. Martinson. "It's heartbreaking to watch him in this deteriorating condition."

Donations to the William Martinson Foundation can be sent to Holy Assumption Church, c/o Roebling Bank, Delaware Avenue and Route 130, Roebling, NJ 08554.

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