How my sense of getting older has changed as I've live with ALS

 

Yay, it's the start of a brand-new year! There’s something so hopeful about standing right here at the beginning, isn’t there? For me, this time of year isn't about "fixing" myself or setting lofty expectations, but about simply noticing where I am and giving myself a little grace and gratitude.

But it is a new year. Not only am I feeling “another year older, another year wiser,” I’m also grateful and appreciative that even though I’m living with ALS, I’ve also had 74 birthdays, with another one in only ten more months. But reaching this particular milestone has me pondering the complicated relationship between aging and ALS.

A new perspective

I’ll admit that I’ve always had preconceived notions about what getting old looks like and feels like. I think we all do. However, it was during my first year of ALS that I learned how far off base my notions were.

At that time, I could still go to our local pool. One day I was in the shallow end, water-walking with a friend, while an exuberant water aerobics class was being held in the deep end nearby. My friend innocently asked how I was doing. “Ugh,” I responded in a loud voice. “Everything’s achy. I’m stiff and sore and feel like I’m 90 years old.”

“Shh,” she warned me, glancing over my shoulder. “Some of the people in that class are 90 years old.”

I stared at the energetic bodies sloshing in the water, suddenly realizing that my impression of being old needed an upgrade. But I was only 59, and my ALS symptoms had me feeling much older. ALS is like that.

Pondering comparisons

The irony is that aging is a risk factor for ALS ... and many ALS symptoms mimic aging. More than once, I’ve had to ask myself if a particular change in my body’s movement was normal for my advancing age -- or if it was my ALS.

Aging and ALS: Both challenge us to accept and cope with change.

I’m now moving more slowly and have different activities and new interests. Recently, I was reading an online review of “the best of” an assortment of products. What caught my attention? Not the kitchen gadgets, snazzy shoes, or the latest technology. It was the review of the latest, top-of-the-line rollators.

Rollators?! Me? I had to chuckle. Yes, I guess thanks to aging and ALS, rollators are now an important part of my life.

And thanks to the recent advancements in ALS treatments, technology, and assistive devices, ALS patients are living longer. Helpful organizations, such as the ALS Association, and publications like Your ALS Guide, offer useful resources and support.

The adage “We all get to be young, but not everyone gets to be old” has me appreciating my family and many friends who’ve all helped me reach this milestone. Thank you.

Are there any upcoming milestones or celebrations in your future? I hope so. Congratulations from me to you. I believe we can all age well, and we can help one another learn to live well with ALS.

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Dagmar Munn
ALS and Wellness Blog

"Whether it’s celebrating small wins or big milestones, it’s all about gratitude & joy"

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 A version of this post first appeared as my column on the ALS News Today website.