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Article: The war at home; After serving his country for nearly a decade, Jim Thew now should be enjoying life with his family. Instead, he's 'a prisoner in a cell you can't get out of'
- Article from:
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Article date:
- May 22, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2007 Chicago Sun-Times. (Hide copyright information)
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During his nearly nine years in the U.S. Armed Forces, Jim Thew
did two tours of duty in the Persian Gulf.
When the helicopter engine mechanic left the Navy in 1999, he
figured the dangers of military life were behind him.
Now, as Thew sits in his wheelchair wearing a neckbrace to help
support his head, he's not so sure.
The 36-year-old Rockford-area father has ALS, commonly called Lou
Gehrig's disease. The deadly illness attacks the nervous system,
robbing patients of the ability to walk, talk and, eventually,
breathe.
While the disease is rare, research is mounting that military
veterans -- especially those who served in the 1991 Gulf War -- are
at increased risk of developing ALS. ...