My Darling Disability - a Column by Kendall Harvey

As a mom, I am obviously around kids all the time. But not just my own. I am around kids when I take my children to school, T-ball, church, play dates, restaurants with playgrounds, etc. I encounter countless kids each week. As an FA patient dependent on a mobility…

Earlier this year, I was extremely nervous about using my walker in public. Previously I had been able to “hide” the effects of my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). I used shopping carts, friends, or strollers for stability. However, my FA progressed to the point that I needed more…

I’ve always been fascinated by stories featuring people who confront adversity by fighting against all odds to do extraordinary things. I’ve cried during “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” or when Ellen DeGeneres has handed a life-changing check to a single parent or a disabled child. I become fascinated with their…

One of the scariest life changes a patient anticipates upon receiving a diagnosis of Friedreich’s ataxia is the use of a walking aid. For me, the thought of needing a device to get around in my day-to-day activities was soul crushing. I thought that it signified the…

I may not like my body, but I respect it. I often find myself explaining what I mean when I say “I hate my body.” So many people the world over say that all the time. We all have something. You might wish you were taller, that your nose…

When diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia, the first things people usually ask are: “What can I do about this? Is there a treatment or cure? Where do I sign up?” Then, we receive more bad news: Currently, there is no treatment or cure. But there is a ray of…

“Life isn’t fair.” “No one said this would be easy.” We have all heard these platitudes and we’ve all repeated them. And yes, there is truth in these well-worn phrases: Life is hard, messy, emotional, and unexpected, and it’s also predictable, inevitable, and complicated. But it can be…

At first, I resented having Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) because it hasn’t allowed me to be the mom I always imagined I would be. Now that I have a couple of years of parenting experience under my belt, I see some similarities between life with kids and life…

Describing a progressive genetic disease like Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is difficult. It has a wide range of symptoms, most of which are unique to FA and not easily understood unless you have firsthand experience or a loved one with the condition. In this column, I will address some…

I grew up in a church-going family that was always involved in ministry. We spent at least three days a week at church. I had a sound knowledge of Christianity, the Bible, and what it meant to be a Christ follower. I felt invincible when I was close…