Living Well with ALS - a column by Dagmar Munn

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…

ALS has taught me many life lessons, and one of the most important ones is to never give up. Recently, though, I was put to the test by a very sticky strip of Velcro. The episode became a metaphor for how easy it is for us ALS patients to…

I love it when all of my planning unfolds exactly as expected, and at the end of the day, I can pause to exhale, smile, and tell myself, “That went extremely well.” I wasn’t always an avid planner, but I’ve become one. Planning is just one of the many…

Is anyone else bombarded by social media messages to set goals, make New Year’s resolutions, or create a bucket list for 2024? I sure have been. In my pre-ALS days, I heeded the reminders. I looked forward to breaking in a brand-new desk calendar and filling it with my…

What if I told you that eating sugar cookies and cherry pie could help slow down the progression of ALS symptoms? You’d probably say, “Hey Dagmar, you’ve gone bananas!” I know, I know. The suggestion sounds contrary to what we’ve always been told about healthy eating, especially for anyone…