I am blessed to be Mom to my 6-year-old son, Brooks, and my 3-year-old daughter, Collins. I am also disabled. I use a walker because my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) symptoms have progressed to the point that I can’t walk unassisted. The other day, while Brooks and Collins were playing…
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.
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Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) affects my abilities, mood, energy levels, major musculoskeletal functions, and choices. It determines my days in ways far beyond what a 23-year-old newly diagnosed me could imagine. It is a lot to process. But, like most things, I get kind of “used to” it. New adaptations can…
I love springtime in Texas, and all that comes with it: baseball season, wildflowers, rodeo season, longer days, warmer sunshine, home projects, live music at local restaurants, and more. Everything feels happier and more vibrant. This year, springtime feels different. We had a historic and catastrophic snowstorm at the end…
I recently heard an interview with a local high school principal about the message he is sharing with his staff and students during these unprecedentedly hard times of COVID-19. In response to the pandemic, he said we can either “rise and whine or rise and shine.” How profound and…
The most unexpectedly disruptive symptom of my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) has been fatigue. When I was diagnosed with FA in 2013, my initial research focused on the big symptoms, such as loss of balance and coordination, heart failure, loss of speech, and severe scoliosis. I read the word “fatigue”…
Now and then, I will have a “quiet spell” with my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). I will notice that I haven’t fallen in a while. I haven’t noticed any new problematic symptoms develop. I will be relatively pain-free and somewhat energized. I will have some days, weeks, or even a month…
I admit I didn’t fully grasp the meaning of the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” until I became a mother. I bring it up because recently I saw a meme that said, “So, these villages that it takes to raise babies … do you…
The word “pity” has a pretty negative connotation. I don’t know many people who seek pity or want to be pitiable. I certainly don’t aim to make people feel sorrow for my misfortunes. Yet, as I’ve become increasingly disabled by Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) since publicly announcing my diagnosis seven years…
My healthy, rambunctious, and handsome 6-year-old son, Brooks, started his second flag football season this month. He scored two touchdowns this weekend, and I was beyond proud of him. He is such a hard worker who continually amazes me. Kendall Harvey with her son, Brooks, at…
Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is a cruel, relentless, lifelong battle. It can make good days hard and bad days intolerable. When people tell me I am “inspiring” or ask how I remain so positive and happy in the face of FA, I am always baffled, and usually fumble my answer.
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