I love being in win-win situations. We all do. Especially while world events continue to push the boundaries of our patience. And my latest project offers me many wins: It’s the perfect addition to my current home voice program, and I’m helping to research ALS voice issues. Like 80%…
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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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…
It’s always gratifying to know what I write is helpful to others living with ALS. Recently, I wrote about how I periodically take the time to review my daily habits and set new goals for the month. While readers left many comments thanking me, others asked if I had…
Happy October, everyone! It’s time for a mini-celebration. During this crazy year, each new month means more of 2020 is behind us. We have all undergone change over the months, especially those of us facing the challenges of ALS. However, our changes extend indefinitely. Maintaining my resilience is a priority.
My heroes and role models come in all shapes and sizes. For example, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who stood barely 5 feet tall, has always held a mighty spot in my mind. Best known as the second woman in U.S. history to be appointed a Supreme Court Justice, I admired…
Hang on tightly, it’s another week of weather events, news alerts, and a continuing health crisis. I feel like I’m riding on a big airplane flying through rough turbulence. Certainly, living with ALS has taught me I can’t control the jiggles and the bumps, but I can control how I…
Big news buzzed through the ALS community last week about AMX0035, an investigational treatment for ALS that just finished a Phase 2/3 clinical trial. Early results indicated that AMX0035 slowed the progression of ALS symptoms. Although discovering a cure for ALS is still the ultimate goal for…
All around me, I’ve been noticing how people, businesses, and organizations are pivoting to survive these challenging times. We’re getting confident using Zoom, dine-in restaurants have expanded their takeout business, and ALS fundraisers are holding online events. I love seeing all this successful pivoting. It gives me hope. Pivoting,…
Looking forward to getting a flu shot is something I never thought possible. But at this point in what has been a very strange year, it’s a darned good excuse to get out and do something. In past years, I followed health guidelines and always waited until early October…
Recently, I noticed I was having problems keeping track of time. Not clock time, as in being a little early or showing up too late. But calendar time — the past weeks and months of living in lockdown have caused my days to morph together. I knew I was doing…
What a long, crazy summer it’s been, as we’re living with minimal social interaction and long periods of isolation. Parts of our lives have changed without our consent, and we have to be on the lookout for developing symptoms. And those are just the challenges of living with ALS…
Racing thoughts, runaway thoughts. Whatever you call ’em, I caught ’em. Yup, a case of full-blown, out-of-control, runaway thoughts. I hadn’t had them for years — not since the day I was told I had ALS. And then, like most newly diagnosed patients, I spent weeks and months imagining the…
Last week, I had the pleasure of joining the Fox Valley/Lakeshore ALS Virtual Support Group in Wisconsin as their guest speaker. We had fun discussing ways to reduce stress during the ongoing crisis while we live with our ALS. During my presentation, I shared one strategy…
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