ALS and Wellness Blog: Knitting My Way to a Solution for the Chills

During the past few years, I’ve had the pleasure of joining several online ALS support groups as their guest speaker. My topic usually revolves around how we can reduce mental stress while living with ALS. For example, one strategy I use is built around three simple questions: How do I feel? What do I need? Who or what can help me?

(I wrote about this strategy in this post: “ALS Stress Management Made Easy.”

Then, I tell the following story about how this simple strategy helped me cope with one of my ALS symptoms:

My cold air challenges

Shortly after I was diagnosed, my body developed a sensitivity to sudden temperature changes, mainly cold drafts. I used to think that living in sunny southern Arizona, I’d never feel cold, but surprisingly, I do now.

For example, when at the grocery store, I’d pass by the refrigerated dairy case and suddenly feel I had been transported to the North Pole. Or at a restaurant, no matter where I sat, I always ended up under the cold air vent!

My jaw would tighten and the muscles in my shoulders, arms, and torso quickly seized up. Trying to suppress top-to-toe shivers, I felt angry and frustrated.

Later, at home, I knew my options were either 1.) to avoid these situations altogether and never go out again, or 2.) to use the three questions to find a solution.

Putting the strategy into action

How do I feel?

My physical reactions told me I felt cold.

What do I need?

I needed to shield my neck and shoulders from cold drafts. I needed a portable, easy-to-use neck warmer.

Who or what can help me?

The solution? A scarf. A simple scarf.

The next time I went out, I stashed a small scarf in my purse, and at the first sign of a sudden, cool draft, quickly wrapped it around my neck. Ahh, success!

But I didn’t stop with just one scarf. Deciding I’d feel even better having a few scarves of different colors to choose from, I expanded my inventory — by knitting them myself.

It was easy to turn a single, colorful ball of yarn into a fun scarf, and 20+ scarves later, I was happy. Plus, I reasoned, it was therapeutic.

Knitting was not only was beneficial exercise for my hands, but I also used up leftover yarn lingering in my craft area, and I felt mighty proud of each one I finished and wore.

Challenges vs solutions

ALS brings us many challenges and often feels like a crash course in adaptability. But if (instead of withdrawing, lashing out, or any number of emotional and non-helpful reactions), you take the time to identify the problem, list your options, and create a plan, you can find good solutions. And even though some of our ALS challenges are bigger than what a simple scarf can solve...

Just don’t give up!

Strangers who see me wearing a bright scarf in the grocery store might think I’m just a goofy lady making a fashion statement. But my friends know the real story: I’m following my belief "to live well while living with ALS" - - and I believe that it's something you can do too.

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