A Wildflower in the Wheelderness — Katie Napiwocki

Have I ever told you that my significant other, Andy, has Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD)? Or that we met as kids at MDA Summer Camp? We did, indeed. Our hometowns sat about a two-hour drive apart. We…

Dusk was settling in. The sun had clocked out for the day, and as it traveled farther and farther away toward its sleeping quarters, the moonlight grew radiant in the stillness of the evening.  I stared intently at…

Here in the Midwest, “going for a drive” is an authentic thing. When the tall grass gleams in the golden hour of a lazy Sunday afternoon, countryside rustic roads beckon people to roll their windows down, ignite the engine,…

I’ve noticed a trend in social media posts lately: Many of us are missing out on highly anticipated plans. Glorious vacation itineraries have been crumpled. Getaway maps have been folded up and tucked into glove compartments. Retreats sit silent…

My cellphone vibrated atop my kneecap. I glanced down at the screen. An alert emerged from a local news app: A case of COVID-19 had been identified in my small city. I was sitting in our living room with…

I’ve come down with a fever.  As I sit on my outdoor patio, the tall angle of late February sun kisses my cheeks and warms my bones. From one bare tree branch to another, chickadees chatter amid treetop…

“So, Katie, how’s your sex life going? Any concerns there?”  With weak neck muscles, I craned my neck sideways and forward in search of eye contact with my gynecologist. His head and bow tie floated above the peak…

I’ve been on hiatus from writing about my SMA.  Truth be told, I’ve needed to break away from the constant reminder that SMA rules my life. When it wants to, SMA tosses banana peels into any gleaming…

Imagine your soul as a canvas that illustrates the story of your life’s journey. Sprawled across an artistic medium, what would your scenery reveal? For some, it would be a river of peaceful waters winding into stormy rapids, set…

I’ve always considered water a healing element. During toddlerhood, my mom connected me with an aquatic therapy center owned by a warm-hearted occupational therapist named Suzy. I swam weekly until my young adult years, when the scenery of…

Dear Mom and Dad, In the wake of FDA approval of Zolgensma, jubilant feelings soar like a kite, beyond the boundaries of wonderful to the highest altitude of hope. Mom, we recently had lunch together and chatted about…

Can you recall a day that shines brightly in your mind, as you were immersed in the beauty of nature and adventure all at once? Is there a time when your lungs inflated with a deep breath of peaceful…