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.An old adage says, “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” Well, I’m in that future now, so today, I’m sending my past self a basket full of thanks. Why? Because every time I walk…
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One of the many things I love about living in Arizona is its unique weather patterns. For 10 months out of the year, we have warm temperatures and clear skies, followed by two months of thunderstorms. But lately, my…
Sometimes we all need a little help deciding whether to do something. I know I certainly do. That’s when I rely on what I call my “ALS bumper stickers.” They’re the latest addition to my ALS stress toolkit.
My husband is my primary caregiver. In fact, he’s been my only caregiver for the past 12 years that I’ve been living with ALS. That changed last week, when he needed medical tests that required an overnight stay…
There I was, just living each day and minding my own business. I was following all the guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and wearing a mask everywhere I went, when all of a…
Newly diagnosed ALS patients often contact me and ask what I eat, what I do, and how I’ve managed to continue living with ALS for the past 12 years. I explain that there isn’t a magic solution; it’s…
This past week had me experiencing a roller coaster of emotions. I started with a feeling of pride while reading a recent study that validated my at-home voice therapy sessions. Next, curiosity drew me into investigating an innovative exercise…
Sometimes the simplest things can help us the most. That’s what I learned in the months right after I received a diagnosis of ALS. Like most newly diagnosed ALS patients, I felt overwhelmed trying to find out…
Ever since I was diagnosed with ALS in 2010, I’ve become sensitive to how ALS is represented in the movies. And I’ll admit to voicing my opinion about the topic in several of my past columns.
I’m all in when it comes to celebrating milestones, and as many of my readers know, I’m a glass-half-full person. So when June arrived, I didn’t have to look far for my first reason to celebrate. Happy 5…
I use many strategies to keep myself engaged in life and avoid getting pulled down mentally by my ALS. Being a “go-along” is one of those strategies, and it’s a perfect partner to showing up. But being a…
My week has been full of projects, online responsibilities, physical activities, minicelebrations, and, oh yes, living with ALS. And while we ALS patients often complain that having our disease is a 24/7 challenge with no days off, I’ve…
Like many ALS patients who have swallowing issues, a condition known as dysphagia, I follow a regimen of what I can and cannot eat. I’ve accepted this as my new normal for a number of years now, so…
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