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.In my journey with progressive Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), I battle a wide array of symptoms. While increasingly poor balance seems to be my most disruptive and frustrating symptom, it’s not the one that keeps me up at night.
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Over the holidays, we spent time with family that we don’t see regularly. I get so wrapped up in my own excitement to see my loved ones that I often forget that they haven’t seen me in a while.
Lately, I have been falling into a funk easily. All of the “little things” that bother me about life as a Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) patient seemed insurmountably huge and sucked all of my drive away. I didn’t feel…
I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) in 2013. At that point, I was still pretty “normal.” I could still do almost everything except walk in high heels or perform well in sports. I was independent and capable. After…
2020 has been a wild year. Thanks to the pandemic, growing civil unrest, and a tumultuous and pivotal presidential election, we are all leading a life we didn’t anticipate or plan for. Add in a progressively degenerative disease…
Before I was diagnosed in 2013, I had never even heard of Friedreich’s ataxia. I learned a lot during the diagnostic process as we assessed the viability of possible diagnoses to rule out. For example, I never knew…
When it comes to your health and future, you are your own best advocate. Only you know what you are feeling, so only you know what is or isn’t “normal” for you. When I was 23, I began noticing…
Special occasions make me introspective, as I have written before. On days when my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) symptom progression is clearly noticeable, I take time to observe how my FA is affecting my current experience and measure it…
I am beyond blessed to be “Mom” to my 6-year-old son, Brooks, and my 3-year-old daughter, Collins. They are wonderful, healthy, happy, energetic, smart, and funny. I feel a mix of emotions when I watch them run…
One of the most difficult parts of using a mobility aid is unavoidably revealing that I am “not normal.” Since becoming dependent on my walker, I feel like I’m constantly broadcasting my most all-consuming source of fear and…
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