How a long walk taught me a valuable lesson about ALS pride
“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…
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.
Featured Post
Positive self-talk helps me stay motivated when I need it
Last week, I fully intended to write a new “Living Well With ALS” column. I sat down, flipped open my laptop, gazed out the window, and got lost in a stare. As the…
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A visit to my skin doctor becomes an ALS milestone moment
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…
I plan a recess break for every hour of my ALS day
“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…
How I help new friends after their diagnosis of ALS
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.
Why I chose to continue learning after my ALS diagnosis
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…
These lessons from Olympic athletes help me live with ALS
Were you able to watch the recent Paris Olympics? I did, and I’ll admit I tuned in nearly every day. But I wasn’t always such a die-hard fan. Oh, I used to look forward…
Having all the facts helps me live with ALS
Those crazy, runaway thoughts. When I was young, I used to have them all the time. That’s because I didn’t know the whole story about certain things, so my mind would invent the…
Sign language and aerobic dance taught me a lesson in leadership
Copying someone’s actions can be fun and help us learn new things. But imitation can also be dangerous, especially if you live with a serious condition such as ALS, which I have. I…
Just why was I saving some of my old clothes?
Imagine you’re all alone, stranded on a remote island and surrounded by miles and miles of uncharted ocean. Here’s my question: How much time would you let pass before giving up hope of ever…
How my ALS has taught me that change brings opportunity
How do you handle an unexpected change to your plans for the day? Do you shake your fist in the air and complain, or pause and look for opportunities? Last week, I was doing…
Among the various ALS resources out there, this one’s a game changer
I like collecting buzzwords. These are the popular words or phrases that weave their way into and out of our language every year. In fact, I think writing this weekly column for the…
How I check in with myself to improve how I’m living with ALS
Although I’ve accepted the many beeps, alerts, and reminders that pop in and out during my day, I’ve also developed the habit of selectively tuning out a few of them. I recently learned that’s…
