They Need a Ventilator To Stay Alive. Getting One Can Be a Nightmare.
On vacation in Mexico last year, Michael DiPlacido passed out twice while scuba diving and again in his hotel. Back in St. Louis, doctors diagnosed him with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, an incurable disease that often requires mechanical ventilation. When his son Adam DiPlacido tried to find a permanent place to care for his…