Shalom Lim, who lives in Eastern Singapore, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at 4 months old in 1996. He shares how early diagnosis shaped a lifelong approach to daily care and routines.
Transcript
For me, it’s important to build a routine that integrates our treatment into our daily habits.
For example, I always make it a point to use my cough assist machine every time I get up from bed. And also take my medicines so that I don’t forget them in the day. While I don’t use reminders, my caregivers and I, we remind me to take my medicines on time and to go and to use the therapy that I need to use.
Usually to start off the day, this is what I normally do. But I would say if reminders do help you, go with alarms for the pill box. Just whatever works for you to be able to adhere to your treamtent plans.
Because if I miss treatment, we cannot possibly compensate once we miss a dose or we miss a therapy in the day, we cannot really make up for it.
Taking them before or after a meal or together with a meal could also work. And also, it doesn’t always have to be a chore. You can do it while you are doing something you enjoy. Like listening to music, or watching something.
It helps to build a positive reinforcement. And it can also be like a personal challenge, and once you have achieved it each day you feel the satisfaction of it’s like a victory of a small way. So I think that’s one way you can also look at it.
