Finding motivation when I hit the ‘why bother’ moment
Sometimes living with my ALS isn’t a matter of finding the right balance of effort and ease. At times, I have zero mental motivation to make the effort in the first place!…
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
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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Coaching my inner critic to help me live well with ALS
The other day, right in the middle of doing my daily chair exercises, I had to stop and turn down the volume of my mind’s inner critic. Because I was feeling a little sluggish…
How advice from a ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ host helps me live with ALS
Last month, a series of health issues bombarded me. They flew in on top of my usual ALS symptoms, causing me to become frustrated and ask, “Has this become my new normal?” But…
Voicing my approval of a mental health resource for those with ALS
Every once in a while, I step onto my soapbox (mine has special safety rails) to voice my view about an important issue in the ALS community. This time, I’m here with praise for…
How I keep my plates spinning while living with ALS
Every once in a while, I have to stop and declare, “I’m spinning way too many plates!” That happens whenever I begin to feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks I’ve set myself up…
Lessons learned from my ALS awareness experiences
A few months after I learned I had ALS, I was invited to participate in a walkathon to help raise funds for the ALS Association. I’m sure my curt reply of “No,…
I’m promoting a different kind of ALS awareness this month
I love learning about all the great activities happening during ALS Awareness Month, but I also worry that we’re attracting the attention of unscrupulous health advocates and clinics who target vulnerable ALS…
Reflecting on what I did right after I was diagnosed with ALS
Every once in a while, a common question circulates on ALS social media sites: “What would you do differently if you were diagnosed today?” The replies are interesting and often filled with regrets,…
How I looked for the ‘Goldilocks chair’ that would suit my ALS
Imagine this: A 71-year-old ALS patient riding a mobility scooter visits her local furniture store. I mean, what can go wrong? Well, a whole heck of a lot can go wrong, at least…
How to sleep better at night with ALS? Practice how to roll.
Who knew that losing the ability to roll over in bed was an essential indicator of worsening ALS symptoms? I sure didn’t. That is, not until I was diagnosed with ALS and…
How I resist an attack of the small stuff while living with ALS
I take pride in keeping a well-organized to-do list. Each day of the week has a set number of tasks, and each task is broken down into doable actions. It’s the “I’m under control…
How I raise ALS awareness, even at my ALS clinic
“So tell us, Dagmar, what’s your latest project?” The question came from my neurologist as we chatted during my recent ALS clinic visit. She asked not only for herself, but for the medical…
