When making changes, starting small can have a big impact
As we approached the end of 2023, I didn’t feel like myself. I was overwhelmed by most things in my life, and I constantly felt inadequate. That made it easy for me to retreat,…
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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Sustaining optimism as I look to the future with FA
Actor and activist Michael J. Fox, 62, has been publicly battling Parkinson’s disease since 1998. Although Parkinson’s and my diagnosis of Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) are very different, they are both…
Can joy and grief coexist? In my life, they do.
Before my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) symptoms began, I was a healthy young adult with active hobbies, big plans, and an extroverted lifestyle. Now, after more than a decade with FA, I’ve seen…
‘But Mom!’: Lessons in fairness from a mother disabled by FA
As a mother of two young children, I have a lot of discussions about what’s fair. My son will whine about how “unfair” it is that his sister gets to watch a movie…
Navigating unexpected events, both good and bad, in life with FA
The decade that I’ve been living with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) has been full of unanticipated highs and lows. It has also been full of chaos, monotony, blood, sweat, tears, laughter, praying,…
How my perspective about mobility aids has changed over time
I’m often asked to share my perspective about the future as a progressively disabled woman with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). The question always makes me ramble on with a series of contradictory thoughts…
How I process living with Friedreich’s ataxia in conversation
I’m not shy about my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) diagnosis and how it’s affected my life. I share all of the twists and turns of my FA journey openly, all in the name…
Breaking free from vicious mood cycling with Friedreich’s ataxia
When I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), I was obsessed with gathering research and other information to arm myself with anything that might prepare me or give me a slight advantage…
Reflecting on the significance of my 36th birthday as someone with FA
I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) at age 25. Because FA is so rare, my neurologist had limited information to share with me. I’d never heard of the disease I’d now…
