Living Well with ALS - a column by Dagmar Munn

For those of us living with ALS, every day can have a stressful event. The key, I believe, is to get through the event and, if possible, remember it later with humor. Even in a parking lot. “Let’s circle the parking lot one more time,” my agitated husband said.

Adapt, adapt, adapt! Readers of this column know that’s one of my favorite mottos. I depend on it, especially because I live with ALS. It helps me deal with the condition’s ongoing changes and keeps me moving forward. But sometimes I have to push back. And when…

Last week I hit a milestone of sorts: my 35th ALS clinic visit. That’s not to say that medical appointments deserve the same recognition as birthdays or graduations, to be memorialized in a scrapbook. But because ALS has been a dominant part of my life for the past…

ALS challenges our sense of self and ability to accept change. However, the triggers that motivate us toward acceptance can be different for each patient. Recently, on the ALS News Today Forums, we’ve been having a lively response to the question, “What is the most difficult thing for…

I have an imaginary toolkit filled with a variety of stress-reduction strategies to help me when life’s speed bumps appear. Living with ALS is stressful enough, but add in TV news, social media, and other minor dramas and I can quickly feel overwhelmed. In addition, I was bored…

“Do as much as you can, but be careful. And don’t overdo.” Those were the words of advice bouncing around in my head during the long drive home from one of my first ALS clinic appointments. I’d brought a list of questions for my neurologist, including one asking if…

Last week, I received an email from a newly diagnosed ALS patient asking questions about rollators (walkers with wheels). “I think it’s time I begin using one,” he wrote, “but I don’t want to. What can I do instead?” I immediately felt empathy and sympathy for his…

My introduction to ALS followed the same path as many other patients. After months of worry, I was relieved to finally receive a diagnosis. But that was the tip of the iceberg. I then had to understand what ALS was and how to cope with my symptoms,…

One of my duties as a moderator for the ALS News Today Forums is to encourage new members to discuss their worries about living with the disease. I often find myself repeating the same advice over and over: that they be open to changing their perspective, that they…

Living with ALS for the past 14 years has taught me an important lesson on adapting to a new way of life. Before ALS, my life was filled with carefree movement. I spoke with ease and enjoyed endless physical energy. Now, even though my…