I’m not proud of this, but I often avoid looking strangers in the eye. An example is when…
Matt Lafleur
Matthew's life doesn’t look like what he imagined when he was an active Cajun boy. Once diagnosed at age 11 with Friedreich’s ataxia, he threw himself into books, writing, and studies, achieving a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in mental health counseling. Writing a column at Friedreich’s Ataxia News and serving as the associate director of columns for its parent company BioNews is a perfect combination of his two degrees. He notes life’s small, often overlooked successes in his column. In progressive disability, Matt tries to notice his little victories, hoping that others notice their own ... or something like that.
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Articles by Matt Lafleur
Betting on Dark Horses
I always try to bet on dark horses. On quiet summer nights near my house, I…
I’ve never thought of myself as especially strong, or as someone who could identify with a warrior’s personality.
“I never thought I’d see this,” I thought, looking at the surreal scene outside my van’s window. Snow-covered…
One and one always equals two, at least that’s how most people see it. Sometimes simple, concrete facts are comforting,…
Finding Comfort in a New Normal
“You need to go easier on yourself,” my friend told me. I was busy berating myself for having…
Living with a rare disease isn’t as simple as I thought it would be. I’ve been thinking about…
“If you don’t know where you’re going, you might not get there,” reads the first line…
I always took pride in being alone, and I still do, to some extent. That makes letting go…
My arms couldn’t hold my body up in a crawling position any longer, so I face-planted on the…