A family trip reminds me of the power of creating memories
As I heard the words come out of my mouth, I knew I sounded crazy. Yet there I was, pitching the idea to my husband: I wanted us to embark on a 16-hour journey…
Recalibrating — Elizabeth Hamilton
Ohio native Elizabeth Hamilton felt her world flip when her younger daughter’s health unexpectedly declined. It took six hospitals in five different cities and three states to obtain the diagnosis of Friedreich’s ataxia in 2020. A licensed social worker, Elizabeth believes that relationships are a healing force, and most problems can be solved if you have the right tools and the right people. Life takes unexpected turns, so we must take a moment to reexamine where we are and recalibrate.
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Getting out of debt was key to managing Friedreich’s ataxia
Everywhere I look, I see advertisements on billboards, computer monitors, and even at the pump telling me what I should buy and how I’m missing out on having certain things. We are bombarded by…
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How I approach decisions about my daughter’s FA treatment
“Yeah, that was not me. It was you.” I finally said it out loud after all these years. I was not the first person to recognize that our daughter Amelia, then 4, was experiencing…
Staying active during the summer helps keep my daughter mobile
Oh, those lazy days of summer are here. Unless I’m your mom and you have Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). In that case, it’s game on. Years ago, I noticed a yearly pattern with our…
Thinking through mobility aids and shifting mindsets with FA
When our daughter Amelia, 13, was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) five years ago, I started doing the math. Like other parents, we’d been told that most people diagnosed with FA will…
On our FA journey, everyone has something to offer
As the lecturer’s voice echoed in the large hall, I sat nestled between friends. This was a lifetime before my 12-year-old daughter Amelia’s diagnosis of Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), and before I was gearing…
The power of being present on this journey with FA
I both heard and felt the rumbling noise as the elevator jerked to a halt and I was plunged into darkness. Immediately I knew my error and was kicking myself. We were in the…
How creating a strategic plan is helping me navigate life with FA
I found myself growing uncomfortable as I stood in front of the group. Not because all eyes were on me as a presenter, but because I’d realized I was out of alignment. As the…
How the slogan ‘Show Your Stripes’ took on a new meaning for me
I loved pop-up books as a child. The pieces that moved — delicate structures jumping off the page — captivated me, as did finding all of the flaps with hidden pictures. So it was…
The January to-do list includes financial planning for life with FA
It’s January, and despite the gray skies overhead and the lingering chill in the air, I feel a little more motivated to tackle the mundane tasks left on my to-do list. I’m starting with…
