Columns

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…

If there were Olympic medals for complaining, I’d have an impressive trophy room by now. For most of my life with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), I didn’t realize I was “training” for that, because complaining had become second nature to me. I didn’t always do it loudly; it was often…

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.

Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) shook up my life in every way imaginable. I started to notice a loss of balance and coordination in early 2013, which resulted in a five-month diagnostic journey and then a diagnosis of FA that August. It’s fair to say that in those early days,…

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…

I imagine that many homes like ours, especially those with someone who has Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), can become quite loud. It’s common to hear requests shouted across our home, like asking for longer socks or a sweatshirt that was left on the bedroom floor. As my 13-year-old daughter Amelia’s…

For Thanksgiving break, my extended family rented a cabin in a small town in Oklahoma. It was a lovely week to unplug, unwind, play board games, laugh, go on adventures, and enjoy nature. We all agreed we must make the trip again and do it regularly. I truly loved getting…

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,…

My family and I are obsessed with the singer-songwriter Forrest Frank. His music is catchy, happy, positive, and full of bite-sized Biblical truths. We especially enjoy listening to his song “No L’s” before sporting events to remind ourselves that the outcome of a game is a matter of…

I didn’t expect a Frankenstein movie to move me, yet here we are. When I saw Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” on my birthday, I anticipated tension and a few unsettling moments in the retelling of Mary Shelley’s familiar story with modern effects. Instead, I was met with something…

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…