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…
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
Many plastic bottles pose problems for those of us with ALS
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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I have met the enemy, and surprise! It’s not my ALS this time.
ALS has taught me many life lessons, and a very important one is to never give up. For example, some days I get up, get going, and suddenly notice that one of my…
Taking the time to mentally exhale while living with ALS
In a recent column, I described how I panicked following my ALS diagnosis. With the prognosis of having only two to three years to live, suddenly there weren’t enough hours in the…
Helping people understand what living with ALS is really like
I enjoy reading motivational blogs written by people from all walks of life outside the ALS community. What they write not only inspires me, but also gives me lots of new ideas. However,…
How I combat the February blahs while living with ALS
Is anyone else feeling winter-bluesy-cabin-feverish? I know I am. I’ve been feeling that way for the past couple days. It always happens to me at this time of year, and because I live…
Rare Disease Day is an opportunity to join forces and raise awareness
Growing up, I always associated the month of February with Valentine’s Day, a holiday filled with hearts and flowers. But now that I live with ALS, the holiday is nowhere near as important…
A new perspective and strategy to help my ALS speech
Even though I continue to practice daily voice skills to help me prepare for in-person conversations, I’m still challenged by the pronunciation of certain words. Often, I avoid the word altogether and use a…
What I Thought Was My ALS Was Actually an Impostor Symptom
I always love having a good “aha!” moment, especially when it helps improve how I manage my ALS symptoms. Better yet is when I learn that what I thought was a symptom of…
My Life With ALS Is About Learning How to Balance Effort and Ease
During the years I taught yoga, I always enjoyed explaining the concept of effort and ease. It’s the feeling of holding a yoga pose with the right amount of force. Not too much, not…
Why Am I Singing Through a Straw, You Might Ask?
I’m always open to learning new things, especially when they involve simple ways to improve my life with ALS. When I come across something super helpful, I just have to share it with…
Prepare and Prevent: My Strategy for Living With ALS
During my first year living with ALS, I spent a lot of time researching and learning whatever I could about the disease. I came across long lists of medical equipment that patients like…
My ALS Strategy to Avoid Being a ‘UFO’: I’m a Work in Progress
I’m always surprised how something simple and totally unrelated to ALS can change my perspective about living with the disease. For example, who knew that a bag full of unfinished knitting and…
