--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A terminal diagnosis can really mess with…" description: "\"A terminal diagnosis can really mess with your head. Honestly, it makes you want to run away to the moon. Many ALS patients want to fade away quietly. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/steve-gleason-23814_als_a-terminal-diagnosis-can-really-mess-wit_2764614.jpg" --- # A terminal diagnosis can really mess with your head… ![“A terminal diagnosis can really mess with your head. Honestly, it makes you want to run away to the moon. Many ALS patients want to fade away quietly. This was not for me.” quote by Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/steve-gleason-23814_als_a-terminal-diagnosis-can-really-mess-wit_2764614.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/steve-gleason-23814_als_a-terminal-diagnosis-can-really-mess-wit_2764614.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/steve-gleason-23814_als_a-terminal-diagnosis-can-really-mess-wit_2764614.jpg) > “A terminal diagnosis can really mess with your head. Honestly, it makes you want to run away to the moon. Many ALS patients want to fade away quietly. This was not for me.” [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing a terminal illness can trigger denial and escapist fantasies, yet confronting reality fosters resilience and purpose. **In simple terms:** Illness can cause denial but also strength. Key Takeaway Face reality, find meaning. Themes health illness psychology resilience Mood somber inspirational Type personal motivational When to use this quote - healthcare - support groups - personal memoirs Key Concepts mortality coping purpose Questions to Reflect On - How can one transform fear into action? - What supports help maintain hope? A Different Perspective Denial may delay needed care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Running away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-away/) ## Related quotes > [After my cancer diagnosis, I really took my swimming to a new level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-shanteau/after-my-cancer-diagnosis-i-really-took-my-swimming-to-a-new-level/) [Eric Shanteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-shanteau/) > [Life is difficult. Not just for me or other ALS patients. Life is difficult for everyone. Finding ways to make life meaningful and purposeful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/life-is-difficult-not-just-for-me-or-other-als-patients-life-is/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [Many ALS patients end up fading away quietly and dying. For me, this was not OK. I did not want to fade away quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/many-als-patients-end-up-fading-away-quietly-and-dying-for-me-this/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I have been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). It's a terminal disease with an average lifespan of two to five years post-diagnosis, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-have-been-diagnosed-with-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-als-it-s-a/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [“I'm human, It's a terminal condition”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-d-reiss/i-m-human-it-s-a-terminal-condition/) [C.D. Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-d-reiss/) > [From personal experience, I completely agree that it is often easier to go for monotone sadness. When I was starting out, I wrote a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/from-personal-experience-i-completely-agree-that-it-is-often-easier/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [There is never finality in the display terminal's screen, but an irresponsible whimsicality, as words, sentences, and paragraphs are negated at the touch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/there-is-never-finality-in-the-display-terminal-s-screen-but-an/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [But we have gone so far in the direction of over treating terminal patients that we've failed to recognize when we're doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/but-we-have-gone-so-far-in-the-direction-of-over-treating-terminal/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [Like the experience of warfare, the endurance of grave or terminal illness involves long periods of tedium and anxiety, punctuated by briefer interludes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/like-the-experience-of-warfare-the-endurance-of-grave-or-terminal/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Do I wither up and disappear, or do I make the best of my time left?.. He would not wither. He would not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/do-i-wither-up-and-disappear-or-do-i-make-the-best-of-my-time-left-he/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Beware the short terminal guy with nothing to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/beware-the-short-terminal-guy-with-nothing-to-lose/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) > [A reality that is electronic... Once everybody's got a computer terminal in their home, to satisfy all their needs, all the domestic needs, there'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/a-reality-that-is-electronic-once-everybody-s-got-a-computer-terminal/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [You can, I think, have a quiet and steady protagonist and not run the risk of terminal dullness as long as exciting things happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/you-can-i-think-have-a-quiet-and-steady-protagonist-and-not-run-the/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [Treating only terminal cancer patients, the Rand (anti-cancer) vaccine produced objective improvement in 35% of 600 patients while another 30% demonstrated subjective improvement. FDA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-lynes/treating-only-terminal-cancer-patients-the-rand-anti-cancer-vaccine/) [Barry Lynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-lynes/) > [“By the time the plan's wheels touched down on a desolate stretch of desert runway, the sun had cleared a ridge of mountains and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/by-the-time-the-plan-s-wheels-touched-down-on-a-desolate-stretch-of/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) ## More by Steve Gleason > [I think about death all the time. I think that's a good thing because we're all going to die, and the only thing we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-think-about-death-all-the-time-i-think-that-s-a-good-thing-because/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I have moments where I miss my old self. But I think anyone can get caught up in what we used to have. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-have-moments-where-i-miss-my-old-self-but-i-think-anyone-can-get/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [Typing with your fingers or thumbs is sooooo 2012. I tweeted that earlier in the year. I type with my eyes. Not only that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/typing-with-your-fingers-or-thumbs-is-sooooo-2012-i-tweeted-that/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I believe happiness is a choice. Some days it is a very difficult choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-believe-happiness-is-a-choice-some-days-it-is-a-very-difficult/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I'm afraid to walk in public, because people look at me. But I'm not going to stop. I'm afraid because if I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-m-afraid-to-walk-in-public-because-people-look-at-me-but-i-m-not/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I look at the human life like an experiment. Every new moment, every new experience, tragic or otherwise, is an opportunity to gain a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-look-at-the-human-life-like-an-experiment-every-new-moment-every/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [Through adversity we find our heroes...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/through-adversity-we-find-our-heroes/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I have been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). It's a terminal disease with an average lifespan of two to five years post-diagnosis, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-have-been-diagnosed-with-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-als-it-s-a/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [We all have a timeline. Most of us don't live like we have a timeline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/we-all-have-a-timeline-most-of-us-don-t-live-like-we-have-a-timeline/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [If we have a purpose in life beyond being a cog in the human machine, mine is to help inspire people and that's pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/if-we-have-a-purpose-in-life-beyond-being-a-cog-in-the-human-machine/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [The increased rate of brain disease in the NFL population is caused by the way the game is played within the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/the-increased-rate-of-brain-disease-in-the-nfl-population-is-caused/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [To cure ALS medically is not economical. The realities are that it's difficult to find funding for research for a medical cure. I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/to-cure-als-medically-is-not-economical-the-realities-are-that-it-s/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [To have a statue of you up 100 years from now at the Superdome, I think that's amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/to-have-a-statue-of-you-up-100-years-from-now-at-the-superdome-i/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [Many ALS patients end up fading away quietly and dying. For me, this was not OK. I did not want to fade away quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/many-als-patients-end-up-fading-away-quietly-and-dying-for-me-this/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [The film 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,' based the book of the same name, has a line that enlightens and comforts me. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/the-film-the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly-based-the-book-of-the-same/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) [Explore all 25 Steve Gleason quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) ## More Als quotes > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [You can't ignore reality. 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It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/constitutional-is-just-a-real-pip-of-a-word-positively-rolls-off-the/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [Everybody who I ever cared about has told me that they like my music: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Al Green, The Spinners, Smokey Robinson.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/everybody-who-i-ever-cared-about-has-told-me-that-they-like-my-music/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [Paraphrased: The way of al-Junayd includes among other things abstaining constantly from resisting God Most High in whatever happens to one, whether good or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-ata-allah/paraphrased-the-way-of-al-junayd-includes-among-other-things/) [Ibn Ata Allah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-ata-allah/) > [For Al Gore and Paul Ehrlich and Co., whatever the problem, the solution is always the same. 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