'Time to live': How Mike Rannie stays positive despite ALS diagnosis

It's been a year since Mike Rannie was diagnosed with ALS, and his piano now sits mostly silent. 

Rannie, now 53, had been playing since he was six years old. That slowly changed after his diagnosis.

"It's always been part of my life. I remember I used to dream as a kid, I wanted to be a rock star," Rannie told CBC's Ottawa Morning.

I've tried crying, I've tried laughing, and I like laughing better.- Mike Rannie

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, causes nerve cells that control muscle movement to die. Over time ALS patients lose the ability to walk, talk, and eventually breathe.

Rannie stopped playing piano almost immediately after he started losing control of his right hand.

"I couldn't manipulate the fingers properly, and the right hand is playing the melody so it's hard to play anything at that point."

He will still hit a few keys with his left hand these days, but usually with just one finger.

"It's just not the same thing anymore."

Staying positive

Playing piano is not the only hobby Rannie has had to curtail. He can no longer write or play video games, and even turning the page of a book has become difficult.

Despite the loss of some of his hobbies, Rannie said he likes to stay positive.

"I've got to deal with what I can do now."

ALS is a terminal illness with almost no treatment, and Rannie said he knows his time is limited. But he said his diagnosis has allowed him to pursue some bucket list items, including a recent trip to Paris with his wife.

"I would have left those until later on ... and you just never know when your time is going to come up. So it just emphasizes, 'OK, time to live.'"

Rannie is participating in the Walk for ALS taking place in Ottawa on Saturday. He's also captaining the top fundraising team, and has managed to raise more money than any of his teammates.

Rannie said people have asked him how he's been able to keep a smile on his face since his diagnosis.

"I've tried crying, I've tried laughing, and I like laughing better."