Living with ALS

my dad symtoms started with twitching muscles in arms, we were sent to a doctor that recomended surgery 2 times in the neck to try and rule out als but it condition declined very fast .It first started in march of 2007 and as of maech 31st he was confined to wheel chair and bed ridden and in a wheel chair.He strangles on drinks and his speech has gotten bad .Hospice has started coming now .the doctor finally told us may 2008 he had a form of als ,brain shrinking ,also the brain stem shrinking along with the spinal cord.It is a terrible thing to watch your parent go down so fast in just a years time.He was always on the go never stop!Now he is totally dependent on someone doing everything for him .They have not said how long he has but I see fear and confussion in my dad’s eyes he just dont understand why or what is going on and that makes it even harder .We try to enjoy every day with him and try to keep him comfortable but he is in pain .you got to move his arms to change him and he just hollows ,I would just like to know what goes through his mind .this is a terrible disease and it would be great if the doctors understood it more and could find a cure for it ,or what causes it.that is my wish it may be to late for my dad but it would be good for others in the same position.