Defining Yourself - a column by Jean Walsh

I have started fundraising for my next service dog so Wendy, my current service dog, can retire. It has not been easy, but I know it’s time. Wendy is always happy to help me, mainly by picking up things I drop, and she is always spot-on in public — except…

As part of the field work required for my master’s degree in social work, I worked with someone who had a traumatic brain injury, trying to help him move away from destructive behaviors. I always thought part of the problem was that he was in his late 30s and living…

This is the time of year when I ask my husband, Dave, what he wants for Christmas. He usually replies: “I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it.” He repeats it year after year, especially as Christmas or his birthday draws near. So, mostly, I select gifts without his guidance.

Each year, the daughter of one of my friends hosts an annual “Friendsgiving” event the day after Thanksgiving. I’ve never gone because I haven’t met her daughter, but my friend assures me it’s really fun. I love the idea because it reminds me how intentional people must be to build…

While walking with my service dog, Wendy, I reflected on a question that’s always with me: Who am I? Even at 63, with more of my life behind me than ahead, this question still arises. I am many things: daughter, sister, wife, aunt, friend, dog mom, rare disease patient, rare…

I spent most of my day last Saturday picking things up, or rather, having my service dog, Wendy, pick things up. Exploding head emoji. Even though sweet Wendy always wags her tail and is happy to pick up an object when we fail to transfer it from her to me,…

Last Monday morning, I sat up in bed to take my thyroid pill. But I accidentally dumped the pills into the covers. I managed to scoop most of them back into the bottle and popped my pill into my mouth. I figured I’d find the stray pills when I got…

My husband, Dave, and I worried about the possibility of rain on a recent cool, cloudy October Sunday. He was getting his bike ready for the 26-mile rideATAXIA’s Philly ride. If it had rained, it would have been slippery for a touring bike, like the one Dave and many of…

Last Monday, I decided not to listen to political podcasts. I get FOMO (“fear of missing out”) when it comes to political news, so I keep listening to it, even though it doesn’t nourish me. In fact, things I have little or no control over tend to upset me. I…

I recently told my husband, Dave, a silly dad joke, but I had to repeat the punchline three times. By that point, it wasn’t even funny — if it ever was. Dave was simply trying to understand me, but I was frustrated that I had to put so much effort…