My Darling Disability - a Column by Kendall Harvey

I have a framed anonymous saying beside my bed that reads, “There are so many beautiful reasons to be happy.” I see it at least twice a day, and it makes me think about the things in my life I take for granted, dismiss as common, or that can be…

Last weekend, my mother, daughter, and I went to a glass-blowing studio to make decorative glass pumpkins. It was such a fun experience, and we learned so much about the 2,000-year-old art of glass blowing. I am now fully dependent on a wheelchair due to my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA)…

I recently came across this wise advice from 1 Peter 3:10: “If you want to enjoy true life and have only good days, then avoid saying anything hurtful, and never let a lie come out of your mouth.” It prompted a self-reflection that really convicted me. Saying hurtful things or…

When I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) in 2013, my family and I had never heard of the disease. So we had a lot to learn about this new, lifelong character that was now a part of our story. My father, the kindest, wisest, and most generous and…

Lately, it seems like my journey with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) has been a major focus of my life. Between sustaining three fractures in nine months, meeting new people, and refusing to let my symptoms dictate how I spend my time, I’ve had to accept and adapt to many…

At the beginning of September, I turned 39. As I enter the last year of my 30s, I feel both gratitude and resolve. Since I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) a few weeks before my 26th birthday, it is safe to say that the condition has been…

One good thing that came out of fracturing my leg this summer is that I’ve resumed physical therapy. I went to physical therapy once or twice a week from 2017 to 2023. We would work on everything. If I had an injury or problematic pain, we would work on…

The time has come for yet another transition in my journey with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). Since my diagnosis in 2013, I’ve had to adapt to my ever-changing needs. As my disease progresses and I lose abilities, I need more assistance. I used a walker from 2018 until 2024,…

At the end of June, I sustained a fall that resulted in a leg fracture. It happened while boarding the plane home from a fabulous vacation with my husband, my children, and my parents. My son and daughter were very concerned about what, if anything, was broken. After we…

Enduring three fractures over nine months — my femur in September, my nose in February, and my fibula in June — has certainly taken its toll on me. Not only are fractures and recoveries disruptive, painful, and exhausting, but they’re also emotional for me as someone with Friedreich’s ataxia…