Living Well with ALS - a column by Dagmar Munn

ALS has changed the way I do everyday tasks. While I had to adopt some changes quickly — like giving up my driving privileges and no longer preparing meals — others crept in over time, like changes to the clothes I wear and my handwriting. What I found interesting,…

Ever since my ALS symptoms first appeared, I’ve been trying to rebuild the trust I once had in my body — to trust that my leg will hold me, my foot will clear the floor, and my hand will do what I ask of it. Most of all, I…

Every day, I remind myself: Today, I need to keep moving. Before my diagnosis of ALS, that was something I said to other people. As a wellness director, my job was to motivate others to bend, stretch, reach, and add movement into their daily lives. Now, the tables have…

A few months ago, my husband and I decided it was time to replace the mattress set we’d slept on for the past 10 years. Though originally high-quality, its firmness had faded to the point that our bodies left two permanent troughs where we snoozed each night. Who knew a…

While scrolling through social media the other day, I came across a question that stopped me in my tracks: How has having ALS impacted your life for the better? I scanned the replies and thought to myself, “It all depends on which chapter of my ALS journey you’re asking…

Even though I know my brain is in charge, there are days when my body seems to have a mind of its own. When that happens, I remind myself that my body is not the enemy. In fact, there is no enemy at all — just me, misunderstanding my…

I’ve been busy learning how to drive! No, not a four-wheeled automobile — it’s a six-wheeled power wheelchair. Although I continue to rely on a rollator to help me walk inside the house and a mobility scooter when I’m out and about, getting the power wheelchair was a strategic,…

I’m always on the lookout for examples of how other people successfully handle life’s big and little speed bumps. Because I need all the inspiration I can get, especially since my biggest speed bump is living with ALS. Little ALS bumps happen almost every day, constantly testing my resilience.

Earlier this month, I played host to a two-week online event in the ALS News Today Forums: “Funny Moments: Finding Humor in ALS.” I was anxious about it and wondered if members would even bother to participate. Boy, was I wrong. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s…

I am always looking for ways to simplify my life and help my days go by a bit more smoothly. But when you live with ALS, like I do, there is always one extra thing to do, plan, or think about before you can even begin an activity. It’s…