Where the Heck Is Matt?
It doesn’t make sense, and I’ve given up trying to figure it out. It’s a silly video sponsored by a chewing gum company that paid a man to travel the world and film himself doing his goofy dance in 42 countries.
Little Victories - a Column 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.Vacation Endings and Beginnings
Last in a series of reflections on a recent vacation to Turks and Caicos. Read previous reflections here. “I began my vacation today,” Jake told me over video chat. That lazy Sunday seemed like a great start to a vacation. It was…
The Caribbean Was the Perfect Spot to Set Aside My Fierce Independence
A continuation of a series of reflections on a recent vacation to Turks and Caicos. In this column, I take a rainy boat ride and am confronted by my uneasiness with asking for help. Read previous reflections here. ***…
Sunny Days on Vacation with My Nephew Jace
In this reflection on a vacation to the Turks and Caicos Islands, I focus on time spent with my nephew Jace. Check out my earlier thoughts on traveling with Friedreich’s ataxia here. *** One of my goals on this…
The Mother of Vacation Origins
In this reflection on a vacation to the Turks and Caicos Islands, I discuss the purpose of my trip: my incredible mom. Check out my earlier thoughts on traveling with Friedreich’s ataxia here. At the resort, I found a spot where the…
Reflections on My Vacation to Turks and Caicos: Traveling Ain’t So Easy Anymore, Thanks to FA
First in a series of reflections on a recent vacation to an amazing resort on Providenciales island in Turks and Caicos. In the cramped seat of the plane, nothing was going right. Moments earlier, in the…
Learning to Live in the Present
“What’s next for me?” I remember asking my friend, sitting across the table from me at a popular and kitschy restaurant. My friend was used to me being melodramatic; the brutal somberness I’d conjured was juxtaposed by the checkered green tablecloth on which I…
The Algebra of Dating with FA: The Ex and the Why
“I get him, and he gets me,” Cassandra states as if it’s obvious. Her boyfriend Roland can be seen in the background of this shot, acting goofy and dancing in his wheelchair. As they sat at a table in the mall’s food court, Mary had…
Daydreaming and Other Ways of Coping
“Don’t hold a glass over the flame/Don’t let your heart grow cold/I will call you by name/I will share your road.” –Mumford & Sons. “Matt?” my professor repeated for who knows how many times, interrupting the imaginary…
FA Progression and Childhood Spies
In my memory, we were always lithe and sure-footed. Two shadowy cat burglars, but with no inclination to steal. So, not burglars; we were spies. Spies! My aunt and uncle and their kids arrived at my house one Saturday. Our families got together almost every weekend…
Recent Posts
- Heart’s shift to sugar as fuel linked to damage in Friedreich’s ataxia
- My gratitude practice still matters even when I’m frustrated about FA
- How every loss with FA can be a learning opportunity
- The reaction I never expected after seeing ‘Frankenstein’: I feel seen
- Gene therapy injected into eye may fix FA vision problems: Study