Copyright 2004 The San Diego Union-Tribune  
The San Diego Union-Tribune
January 10, 2004, Saturday
SECTION: ZONE;Pg. NC-13; NI-6
LENGTH: 638 words
BYLINE: Cheryl Walker; COMMUNITY NEWS WRITER

VALLEY CENTER -- As a sales manager for an auto dealership in Los Angeles, Bob Dennis always had a stylish car.

But more than two years ago, he had to give up his wheels for a wheelchair.

Dennis, 49, has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative disease of the nervous system. It is more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Typical symptoms are muscle weakness and clumsy movements.

Dennis said he first noticed something was wrong when he had difficulty starting his car.

"It was hard to direct my hand," he said. "I couldn't turn the ignition switch, and at first I thought the ignition was defective. But then I tried it with my left, and I turned it with no problem."

Dennis also noticed his right hand wasn't working properly while he was trying to play the guitar.

He decided to see a chiropractor, but was directed to a neurologist. It took about three months to determine the diagnosis, which soon changed his whole life.

Dennis never knows from day to day when he will lose another muscle function. He can no longer walk or eat by himself. His speech has become slow.

Within a few months of the diagnosis, Dennis could no longer play the guitar, a hobby he dearly loved. He played with two local groups -- Black Sabbath Tribute Band, which has disbanded, and the Jethro Tull Tribute Band.

"They still look at him as the leader," said his mother, Jeanette Nelson. "He still helps by organizing their practices and their gigs."

"We still have a lot of fun," Dennis added.

Dennis lives with his mother and stepfather. Jeanette Nelson is his primary caregiver. But Dennis has lots of friends and relatives who help.

Nelson divided these helpers into groups, and she gives them information about her son's needs, in a program she calls "Share the Care."

"The nice thing is it gives me some respite, and by having so many teams it doesn't create a strain on them," she said. "It also allows them to progress with Bob, so they aren't so shocked when they see the disease progressing."

The "Share and Care" groups are: "Team Tull," which is made up of his band members; "Guys and Dolls," a group of four couples; "Team Dennis," his relatives; "Family Ties," Dennis' brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews; "Air/Jor," his son and Dennis' first wife; "L.A./Disney," his second ex-wife and daughters; and "Bob's Broads," a group of female friends who have known Dennis for years.

"I make up a calendar, and they know exactly when their team is up," Nelson said. "It's worked out really nice. They take Bob out to a movie or a concert or they just come and visit."

Dennis will represent the ALS Association in the San Diego Marathon "On a Roll For a Cure" Jan. 18 in Carlsbad. The event will raise money to fight the illness.

He will be pushed and assisted through the marathon by several teams of friends and family, starting at the corner of Jefferson Street and Laguna Drive.

He said he wants to help the cause in any way he can.

Because people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis usually live only three to five years after being diagnosed, Dennis realizes his time is valuable. He is writing three papers to leave behind. His first will be a legacy to leave to his family, the second his views on Christianity, and the third will be about the disease and what he has experienced.

"This is a goal before I die," he said. "I'm living a good life, I have lots of friends and family who care for me. I really want to leave something behind for them. I feel they can learn a lot from my experiences."

San Diego Marathon

When: Jan. 18, 7 a.m. half marathon, 7:30 a.m. full marathon

Where: Race starts at the west parking lot at Westfield Shoppingtown, 2525 El Camino Real, Carlsbad

Information: (858) 271-5547