Find Hope and Inspiration, I’m Dying to Tell You Podcast

Meet Lorri

Hi, I’m Lorri . I’m dying from ALS. A fatal disease with no cure. I’ve been encouraged by so much to keep living this life and stay focused on the positive. I created this podcast to find and share stories of inspiration in hopes of inspiring you. 

I Am ALS

The I AM ALS Community is an amazing group of people that helps the ALS community in countless ways. One of my goals in life is to be able to donate a thousand dollars a month to ALS research. This money will help find better treatments and a cure for ALS.  While I’m not able to do that just yet, I know that the money I do donate to the I AM ALS community is doing so much good. If you want to help the ALS community, a simple but amazing way for you to do that is to donate to I AM ALS. 

I AM ALS is a patient led community that provides critical support and resources to those living with ALS, as well as caregivers and loved ones. They raise awareness and advocate for the ALS community’s needs. They’ve also been able to increase federal funding for ALS research. I am ALS has also helped revolutionize the development of treatments and cures for ALS. 

I AM ALS has been able to do all of this because of the donations they receive each year. So if you’re looking for a way to make a difference in the ALS community, donating to I am ALS is a great way to do it. There is a link to the donation page at the top of this blog.

Find Hope in Hard Moments

20 years ago, I was 38, and I was told I had 2 to 5 years to live. This was because I was diagnosed with ALS. Before I knew it, I’m celebrating 15  years with ALS. 

That was five years ago. At that point I was like, what should I do with the extra time that I’ve been given?  It  came to my heart to do a podcast and share inspiration. I have been lifted up by so many people over the years. I wanted other people to feel that as well, especially when things are really, really hard. 

We all have hard moments. ALS is devastating and it’s incredibly difficult. I love the fact that I find people that are able to see the goodness, hope and joy in the middle of all the madness. We all have hard times, no matter what it looks like. 

You are Not Alone

I want listeners to know they are loved and they are not alone. I say that at the end of every episode. I know that we all feel defeated in life. Whether it’s part of the day, the whole day, or the whole week. We all go through feeling defeated, whether it’s because of a relationship, a disease, finances, anything. 

I think it’s really helpful  to know that you are not alone and that other people are in your situation. Everyone needs to know they are loved by someone and that connection and that hope is really powerful  if you allow it to be. Just knowing that you’re not alone is such a life changing thing. 

Helping Others Find Hope

Personally, I would say the show is really inspirational, but there are episodes that are tough. However, if you listen to the end, I feel like everyone would always be hopeful and be encouraged at the end. They can be lifted up to know that they can handle whatever’s thrown their way.

I’ve had people say,  “I know someone that was just diagnosed with ALS.  I tried to tell them to listen to the podcast, but they said they’re not ready yet.” Once you listen in, I think it provides more hope. Living with ALS or living in a really dark season doesn’t have to keep you in there.

You don’t have to be in the ALS community to listen to a podcast that is hosted by someone that has ALS and talks to a lot of people going through it.  When you are living with a terminal illness that doesn’t have a cure, it’s tough. When someone in that situation can look at the world and look at their life with great appreciation and value, that tells you something. The inspiration and hope from people that you would think maybe don’t have any is really powerful. 

People say that they feel sorry for me or they look at me with pity. But really, people with ALS  are some of the people that are most at peace and most satisfied and plugged into the world than you can ever imagine.

Stay Connected with Lorri 

I am pretty much everywhere  on social media. The name is, I’m Dying to Tell You Podcast.  You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even TikTok.  

Episodes that Will Inspire

Picking a favorite episode is a really tough question. I get asked that a lot, but it really is hard because I  get so much from every episode. I only talk to people that inspire me and people inspire me in different ways. I’ve had episodes like with Mitch Albom, he wrote the book Tuesdays with Morrie. 

Being in the ALS community. I was so anxious to talk to him about Morrie and writing the books. It  was super special. Outside of being this amazing author. he has such a heart and for people.

A couple episodes ago, I talked to my sons and they interviewed me for my 20th year living with ALS.  There were a lot of laughs and tears in that episode.  They asked me questions that listeners sent in. They also asked me their own questions and I was really taken back by them. After 20 years it was interesting what they had to ask me. It was really  eye opening and hard, but good to have a conversation with them about  what they were thinking now. They were  11 and 13 and told their mom was going to die. That was really special. 

I had a lot of people send me notes and say that was their favorite episode because it was really natural and authentic. My children know me and I know them so there’s more of an intimate conversation. 

Anyone Can Find Hope Here 

I guess the most important thing would be just that the podcast is not just for the ALS community.  It’s for anyone that wants a sense of hope and wants to be encouraged by seeing others who are in their very, very darkest days. You can find joy and hope and love and faith. It’s a really good example and  encouragement for all of us.