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.
I was 10 years old when I heard the crack of wood on wood that sent my croquet ball flying off into a cornfield. I turned to see my grandfather’s face flash a “gotcha” grin. He’d hit my ball…
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As I raised the phone to my ear, I immediately heard crying. My friend and former co-worker was on the way to a family emergency and was looking for help. As a social worker, I balance the need to…
When our youngest daughter, Amelia, was 5, she hung twine throughout her bedroom. Then she arranged blankets on top of the strands to create an elaborate tent with sections for rooms. I’d never seen anything like it. It was…
“So, does it ever get easier?” My eyes slid off the curly mop of brown hair belonging to a curious toddler and up to the questioning eyes of her mother. Pulled in by the pile of snacks my girls…
As August marches onward, the memes around children returning to school abound. But the ads for back-to-school sales have triggered a new feeling in me this year, and it’s unpleasant. Once again, our 11-year-old daughter’s diagnosis of Friedreich’s…
While the research on the benefits of mindfulness is strong, my ability to engage in the practice is weak. I’ve discussed the positive outcomes of being present as a professional and then, in my personal life, tackled my never-ending…
Unknowingly, I spent most of my life preparing to be the mother of a child with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). Former life lessons show up again in the form of old friends, gentle reminders, or sometimes a smack on…
I’m amazed at how many lessons my daughter teaches me just by being herself. We were at the base of Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan, an eight-hour drive from our home in Ohio. It was hot out, and…
The weight I often feel as a parent can be crushing. The level of worry, feelings of inadequacy, sense of guilt, and overwhelming fear can easily hijack my mind. I know I’m not alone in having these feelings, and…
“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.” — often attributed to G.K. Chesterton My daughter Amelia, who has Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), has always been…
Amelia went to summer camp! And I’m talking overnight, in-the-woods camp. My 11-year-old daughter, who has Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), had the opportunity to be away from home, get dirty, make new friends, and learn camp songs — all…
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