As some of you will already know, I’ve been going back and forth for quite a while trying to settle on a name I’m truly happy with on my social media. For the past four years, many of you have known me as “Diagnosed Dad,” but if I’m honest, it’s never fully sat right with me.
The word “diagnosed” naturally takes me back to the day everything changed, and over time I’ve realised it carries a negative weight for me personally. So, I’ve decided it’s time for a change… again 😂 sorry.
So, if you’re reading this I have changed my username to @adaptwithjames , where I’ll continue sharing my journey adapting to life with MND/ALS, being a dad of three, and documenting the ups, downs, and everyday moments along the way.
In the grand scheme of things, I know a username change isn’t a huge deal, but this one feels better to me — and that matters.
Thank you to everyone who continues to follow, support, comment, and be part of this wild journey with me 🤝
How to operate an iPhone when my hands give up thanks to MND.
Unfortunately, my hands have and are continuing to get weaker and weaker and using a simple thing like a phone is becoming tiring so I am adapting my phone to accommodate my weakening hands and utilising my voice to operate it. Here’s how I did it.
#raybanmetachallenge
After my fall the other day, I wanted to see if I could actually get myself up from the floor without any help. Not to prove anything to anyone else, but because in an emergency I need to know what I’m capable of and where my limits are now.
Over time, I’ve had to introduce my limitations to my children and slowly teach them how to help me in situations like this if needed. My two boys now almost help me like it’s second nature, which in one way makes me really proud because they’re growing into such caring, aware young lads… but on the other side, it’s hard knowing they even have to.
I’d love to say I can just adapt, figure it out and get myself back onto my feet independently, but the reality is my flexibility, core strength and weakening right leg make that much harder now. As frustrating as it is, I’m learning that putting pride aside and accepting help from others is also part of adapting.
Adapting doesn’t always mean doing everything alone. Sometimes it means finding safer ways, asking for help, and still moving forward regardless.
Today we popped to @bbqonthegreen to support and see my eldest boy help out my local @mndassoc branch East Dorset & New Forest on their stall.
🧡
Proud seeing him work and hustle so hard. 🤣
Well done everybody was lovely to see you. 🫶
Another fall bites the dust today. I toppled backwards after losing my balance whilst casually shopping in @primark
Moments like this are never ideal and can definitely knock your confidence, but I just wanted to say a massive thank you to the members of staff who came to help me so quickly. Your kindness, calmness and willingness to help genuinely meant a lot.
Living with MND means adapting constantly, and unfortunately falls are becoming part of that reality, but so many people out there still remind me how good humans can be. 🧡
As my journey with MND evolves, so does the way I adapt to everyday life, including the clothes I wear. In this video, I wanted to share the type of T-shirt that works best for me right now, from both my perspective and my wife’s, as she’s the one helping me get dressed each day.
One of the biggest things I’ve found is that a looser fit under the arms makes a huge difference. It helps reduce sweating and also makes it much easier to get my arms through the sleeves compared to a regular fit T-shirt. Sometimes the smallest changes can make everyday tasks a little easier for both of us, and I thought this was worth talking about.
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