Little Victories - a Column by Matthew Lafleur

Main graphic for column titled "Little Victories," Friedreich's Ataxia News, by Matthew 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.

A Perfect Picture: FA Symposium 2019

Is this even worth it? The noisy confusion was almost comical. Luckily, I was next to some friends in a corner of the hotel lobby.  Taking a group picture of people with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) was complicated. The majority of us were seated in…

My Little Victories Are Enough for Me

Out of curiosity, I ran an online search of “Kyle Bryant,” one of my best friends. I call him the poster boy for Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), and the search results seem to agree. I scrolled past links to his employee page at the Friedreich’s Ataxia…

Phantoms and Flowers: Hades, Persephone, and Hope

A friend and I recently had an honest discussion, broaching topics like depression and the fear of death. I felt relieved afterward. My friend, however, presumed I was in despair, as most people seem to think that sad topics should only be discussed during difficult times. In the…

The View from My Standing Frame

As I type this column, I’m standing about 5 feet, 11 inches tall. Honestly, that’s a couple inches taller than my natural height. The platform for my feet on my new standing frame is raised, resulting in a slightly exaggerated height when I…

The Best Man Gets His Groove On

Being the best man at a wedding had its challenges. I am not comfortable being the center of attention, so it was not relaxing to give a speech at the rehearsal dinner or go down the aisle during the ceremony. But I have known since college…

The Zeego Tales: Takeoffs Are Scary!

“The Zeego Tales” track the wonders of my new life with my service dog, Zeego. The sound of rushing wind and the rumbling of turbines intensified as I felt the front end of the plane turn skyward and we left the ground. The plane departed at…

Honoring the Legacy of Serena Lawrence

Serena Lawrence hired me as a columnist for Bionews Services. I badgered my friend Frankie, who writes the column “Fighting FA,” into recommending me. She gave my name to Serena, who walked me through the onboarding process. I was touched by…

Longing for the Sky

“But the bird fly! I want jump off the roof!” My 3-year-old mind believed this totally. I stamped my tiny shoe. I had made up my mind and I was ready to take action.  My mom had discovered some old feather dusters as she…

Checking Up on My Heart’s Health

“The heart really is an amazing machine,” the technician mused in the dim examination room.  I was shirtless on the sterile white bed with seven wires attached to my chest. The wires were connected to a sonogram, which had a screen showing black-and-white images of my…