FA Gives Me a New Reason to Throw Myself a Pity Party
It’s not uncommon for me to throw myself pity parties. Living with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is a constant battle. I have to choose to be strong every moment of every day and to…
My Darling Disability
— Kendall Harvey
Kendall Harvey is a wife and mother of two in Austin, Texas. She has been navigating life with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) since her diagnosis in 2013 at the age of 25. She worked in marketing before “retiring” to be a stay-at-home-mom. She is an optimistic warrior fighting for a better future free of FA. Until that day comes, she aspires to inspire others with her column by detailing personal life lessons about grit and grace. Kendall shares a message of hope despite disability.
Featured Post
Accepting my reality with FA while striving for a better future
So much of living with a progressive, lifelong disease like Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is mentally processing and accepting the physical changes it brings. But with the widespread degeneration of my body and the…
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My Journey to Accepting My Responsibility With FA
Throughout my journey with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), I’ve wrestled with people calling me an inspiration. My feelings about it have changed and progressed just as quickly as my disabled body. When I was…
How FA Has Affected My Parenting Abilities
Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) has changed so much about who I am. The physical effects have changed how I think, act, feel, and relate. Some of the changes are good, some are bad, and others…
Approaching Everyday Problems as Opportunities for Growth
One of my favorite books to read to my children is “What Do You Do With a Problem?” by Kobi Yamada. In it, the book’s main character suddenly finds himself facing a problem.
My Main Friedreich’s Ataxia Symptoms, Visible and Not
Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is a cruel diagnosis in several ways, and those ways seem to frequently morph, multiply, and momentarily take over my life. When I first started to learn about FA and my…
What I Hope My Kids Will Inherit From My Life With FA
I fell head over heels in love with my husband, Kyle, when I was 16 years old. By 18, I knew I would marry him. Then it came time for college, and though we didn’t…
I Am Not My Disability
During the Fearless Mom 2022 conference in February, I learned about an interesting phenomenon from keynote speaker, clinical psychologist, and consultant Dr. Robi Sonderegger. According to Sonderegger, the English language is one…
I Have a Love-hate Relationship With My Mobility Aid
Have you heard the expression that “There’s a fine line between love and hate”? The idea is that there’s so much passion required for every all-consuming emotion that things could easily tip from love…
Reminding Myself to Focus on the Positive
Focusing on the negative aspects of life always seems to come more naturally than focusing on the positive ones. Whether we like it or not, bad things have a way of taking center stage…
