3 Mistakes I Made During My First Year With ALS
Living with ALS has its challenges. For me, the first year after my ALS diagnosis was the hardest. Looking back, I made some mistakes and wasted time and energy that I wish I could…
Living Well With ALS
— Dagmar Munn
When Dagmar Munn was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 59 in 2010, she tapped into her nearly 30 years of professional health and wellness experience. She not only follows her own advice but also inspires and teaches others to do the same. In addition to her columnist role, she is one of the moderators for the ALS News Today Forums and writes a personal blog called “ALS and Wellness.” She lives with her husband in Green Valley, Arizona, enjoying finding humor in life’s situations and spending free time pursuing creative projects in fiber arts.
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How I navigate health anxiety and ALS fears
Navigating life with ALS is a journey, and for many of us, it comes with an extra passenger: health anxiety. Before my diagnosis, I thought my good health would continue forever. But…
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Planning and Preparing Help Me Live With ALS
Even though I believe I’m a pretty good planner and can strategize with the best of ‘em, last week threw me into a planning frenzy. I was anticipating my first in-person ALS clinic…
Changing Your Expectations While Living with ALS
Last week, I had several email exchanges with ALS patients who wrote about their feelings of anger because ALS had robbed them of the life they had planned to live. I certainly can…
Winning the Battle Against Daily Distractions
I love daily routines. For me, having a set of habits and to-do projects waiting to be tackled helps me feel grounded when the world’s events are in turmoil. And more importantly, daily routines…
It’s Been a Week of Voices and Progress
This past week was filled with voices. No, I wasn’t hearing voices in my head. But everything seemed to involve a voice. Let me explain. An action hero uses his voice I watched the…
I Treat My ALS Clinic Like an Olympic Challenge
Cue the heroic Olympic theme song, our competitor is ready to begin! As the timekeeper signals all onlookers to be silent, the athlete draws in a deep breath, then while slowly exhaling, counts…
Don’t Let ALS Define Who You Are
Once in a while, a newly diagnosed ALS patient will reach out to me and ask for help in their adjustment to life with ALS. I’m always happy to share resources, motivation, and tips,…
2 Things That Make My Life With ALS a Little Safer
Among the many challenges of living with ALS are the physical symptoms of muscle stiffness and weakness. I have both. During my first year with ALS, I’d wake up and walk into the…
How I Fine-tune the Voices in My Head
I’ll admit to hearing voices — the voices in my head, that is. We’re all listening to our mental voices. It’s the constant chatter of inner dialogue or self-talk that leapfrogs through our thoughts,…
Will This ‘New Normal’ Ever Feel Normal Again?
The other day while watching TV, I heard the newscaster announce, “We’re in the ‘new normal’ folks, and everybody wants to get out and travel again!” “Well, I don’t,” I thought, and just…
How I Shift Into ALS Manual Mode
To help me get through the ups and downs of living with ALS, I’ve created several mental games. Perhaps they’ll help you, too. For example, when life around me isn’t cooperating, I imagine…
When Second Opinions Get Social
Lately, I’ve noticed a strange trend happening in several online ALS communities I belong to. I’ve seen an increase in posts from people who haven’t yet been diagnosed with ALS asking members of the…
