Some days, my motivation just gets stuck. Even though I’ve got interesting plans and projects to do, I can’t get started on any of them. The reasons why can include not getting enough hours of sleep the night before, being caught up in the latest news cycle, or simply reflecting…
The other day, my husband spotted me putting on my sneakers while using a long shoehorn and asked, “Wouldn’t that be a lot easier if we got you a pair of those new step-in shoes?” I’ll admit that living with ALS has me continually thinking of ways to make…
I realize that the words “goals,” “improvement,” and “ALS” don’t always appear in the same sentence, but for me, they do. That’s because, over the past few years, I’ve followed a strategy of setting personal fitness goals and using my ALS clinic appointments as the mile markers for those…
If you’ve been keeping up with my recent columns, you’ve likely figured out that even though I have ALS, I maintain a glass-half-full attitude. So, today, I thought you’d enjoy learning how I deal with what has been a constant challenge for me: plastic bottles. The trouble with plastic…
The phrase “stay in your lane” is often posted on signs to help motorists drive through a construction zone. It’s also a basic rule when swimming side by side in a race with other competitors. In my life with ALS, I use one of the other meanings of the…
I’ve been living with ALS for the past 15 years, and although it’s filled my days with life lessons and moments of gratitude, there have also been many twists of irony. One of the biggest ironies? I sometimes feel out of place in a community that’s so warm and…
Before ALS entered my life, I barely noticed how easily I completed simple, everyday tasks. But living with ALS can be tiring, and it makes everything — including the little things, our run-of-the-mill habits — feel difficult and tedious. I reached the point where I contemplated giving them up…
Who would’ve guessed that wearing a pair of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) while on a simple haircut trip would turn into a near disaster? But with two mini-miracles and one big lesson about living with ALS, the day was saved. Although I can tell this story in many ways, I…
Over the past six years, I’ve welcomed over 2,000 people to the ALS News Today Forums. It’s one of my many duties as a forums co-moderator. The other things I do include being alert for spammers, adding interesting topics to spark group discussions, and answering members’ questions. Although a high…
Last week, I fully intended to write a new “Living Well With ALS” column. I sat down, flipped open my laptop, gazed out the window, and got lost in a stare. As the minutes ticked by, my computer screen finally clicked off, my mind blanked out, and I had…
