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.If you’ve been keeping up with my recent columns, you’ve likely figured out that even though I have ALS, I maintain a glass-half-full attitude. So, today, I thought you’d enjoy learning how I…
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Like many ALS patients, I had a difficult time accepting assistive devices into my life. In my case, a pair of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), a rollator, and a mobility scooter challenged my adaptability…
Dear Santa, here’s my special wish list for the holiday season. I’m not asking for toys or special treats, just your help in making my holiday social events blend better with my life…
Can it be that we were cheering on athletes at the Olympics only a few months ago? Where did the summer go? Looking back, I realize I spent most of my summer and early…
I collect drinking straws. Not just any old straws, mind you, but long, wide-barreled plastic straws. My assortment includes several unusual straws as well, and they all help me drink beverages with ease even…
Hmmmmm. That’s what my body feels when it’s doing its “humming thing.” It’s an all-over buzzy sensation that I chalk up to being another quirky symptom of my ALS. It’s a feeling I’ve never…
One day, about four years after my diagnosis of ALS, I began having trouble pronouncing words. My tongue felt thick and couldn’t form words at the speed I was thinking them. My speech…
Life’s curveballs happen to us all. Many of my column’s topics have been about the unexpected events I face while I live with ALS, as well as what I do to conquer…
“What was I thinking?” The words boomeranged around my mind as I stood frozen in place under the hot Arizona sun. I was experiencing an ALS patient’s worst nightmare: being stuck with an…
Last week I visited my dermatologist for my annual skin exam and when it was over I left his office with a brand new perspective about my ALS. I’m quite diligent about my…
“Keep on moving!” That’s something I tell myself every day. Since I live with ALS, however, keeping myself moving is easier said than done — especially in the afternoon, when my energy drops…
It takes courage to reach out to a complete stranger and ask for their help. I know, because I’m that stranger, and the ones seeking my help are people newly diagnosed with ALS.
Among the many challenges I experienced during my early months with ALS was the eerie prophecy of a life expectancy of two to five years following diagnosis. Besides putting the brakes on…
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