Columns

“Are you sure you’ll be OK?” my three friends asked after they sat me on a picnic table, pen in hand and journal before me. It was 2006, and we were on spring break. The late afternoon sunlight wasn’t getting any brighter, and I knew they wouldn’t want me to…

It seems that the best time to plan ahead is always yesterday, or several hours ago. No matter how much thought or energy I put into planning ahead, it rarely seems sufficient. I suppose I should remember the alternative to not planning ahead at all; such a situation could easily…

Historically, Aug. 19 is a hard day for me. That’s the day in 2013 when I was blindsided by a Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) diagnosis.  My emotional journey of advocating for myself to find answers to seemingly random neurological symptoms had reached a difficult, unexpected, and dramatic turning point. I was…

Happy August! I don’t know about where you live, but here in Alabama, instead of waiting until after Labor Day, school starts early this month. While August doesn’t tend to bring cooler temperatures in these parts, I hope that this time of year will bring not only much-needed routines but…

Last week, my family and I went to the beach with our neighbors for a fun end-of-summer getaway. We stayed in a precious beachside rental that had a room full of bunk beds for the kids, plus everything else we could need. It was wonderful. The only problem was that…

Everyone could see me grimacing uncomfortably. “Here we go again,” I think as I feel an uneasy lump in my stomach. I find myself back in 1999 in a recurring, unpleasant dream I have every few months. In the dream, I’m at my desk near the back of a seventh-grade…

If you’re anything like me, you spend a lot of mental energy thinking about “what might be” and dreaming about “what could be.” I’ve always had big aspirations, and I reach for the stars when I set my sights on something. I don’t easily give up or settle. I have…

One of the most frustrating effects of the progression of my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) symptoms is how slow I’ve become lately. Physically, I do everything more slowly. Not only am I slower than I used to be, but also I am slower than everyone in my life. I talk more…

“Man, I didn’t realize how great it feels to be in the same room with friends,” I thought late one night as my friends Kayla and Mike were leaving. I hadn’t seen them in over a year due to the pandemic, and in that time, they’d gotten engaged. When they…

The word “hope” has been woven through many of my conversations lately, especially in the last week. I’m participating in a clinical trial, and I had my first in-person visit in nearly two years. I am supposed to go every six months, but flying across the country for an…

Welcome, friends! I hope you are staying cool and spending some quality time with those you love. I am so thankful for you and the part you play in this community. It’s July and super hot here in Alabama, where I live. My family and I have probably been watching…

As a Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) patient, my options for exercise are limited. I can’t go to kickboxing or step classes with my friends, and I can’t go for a run or a hike. While many popular types of exercise, such as dancing, high-intensity interval training, and the bar workout, are…