When Dagmar was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 59 in 2010, she tapped into her nearly 30 years of professional experience. She not only follows her own wellness and fitness advice but also inspires and teaches others to do the same. Dagmar is a patient columnist at BioNews, writing “Living Well with ALS.” In addition, she is one of the moderators for the ALS News Today Forum and writes a personal blog called “ALS and Wellness.” She lives in Arizona, enjoying finding humor in life's situations, and spends her free time pursuing creative projects in fiber arts.
It doesn’t matter if you are a patient living with ALS, or the person who provides care, ALS can feel overwhelming. Too many changes, too many decisions, and our own energy ups and downs can make us want to throw in the towel and holler, “I give…
I have exciting news to share with you about a community addition to this site! The ALS News Today Forums, which launched today, is a space designed to give readers an easier way to connect , share comments, and ask questions related to ALS. It is…
Like many others in my ALS community, I try to keep up with ALS-related news and research. I’ll admit, though, that reading some scientific terminology makes my eyes glaze over. However, I do have a few favorite topics, including exercise, quality of life, and emotional well-being. Recently,…
Growing up in Iowa, I knew that silos were beneficial for farmers who used them to store grain and corn. When I entered the workforce, silos were a negative thing. It was a term used to describe how some departments or managers don’t share information with other departments…
I’ve been experimenting with improving my leg strength and gaining back a lost skill. I share the surprising results below. Since my ALS diagnosis in 2010, I’ve followed a daily practice of range-of-motion exercises based on fundamental movements taught by the strength and movement specialist company Original Strength. I also…
Stick around, because the weather will always change! That was a life lesson I learned while growing up in Iowa. Spring in Iowa often meant that one day we’d be wearing parkas, the next day T-shirts and shorts, and then back to wearing heavy parkas again. We knew…
They’re boring, slow, and only for old people! That’s what I told my husband when he first suggested that I consider using a mobility scooter. Like so many who live with ALS symptoms, weak muscles in my lower legs limit my mobility. At home, I rely…
As I travel down life’s highway with ALS, I’m always on alert for speed bumps. These are the metaphorical unknowns that pop up to challenge my resilience and positive mindset. Last week, one too many speed bumps came my way. It almost felt like a daily battle.
Last week was an exciting one for me: The website I created went live. Working on this special project was an entirely new experience; it turned out to be a challenging one, but from beginning to end it gave me a sense of purpose and value. Why did…
Do you speak with an “ALS accent”? I know I do. Fortunately, my family and close friends have learned to translate my slow, slurred words into meaningful conversation. However, to the Alexa device that lives in our back bedroom and the Echo Show that sits near me, my ALS…
