Kala Godin,  —

Kala is a 22-year-old woman living in Alberta, Canada. She was diagnosed with SMA Type II at 11 months old. She is a columnist, author, and editor. In her weekly column, “The Mermaid Chronic(les),” she discusses life with SMA: from her daily life to the expectation of others. No matter the topic, she tries to keep things silly and sarcastic.

Articles by Kala Godin

Have List, Will Travel

It’s summertime, and that means holidays, road trips, camping, and hotels. Also, sunburns, mosquitoes, and probably dehydration. I’m kidding about the dehydration. My mom makes sure that I drink more water than she does.  I’m mostly content to be in the house with the blessed air…

Preparing for the Plastic Apocalypse

I have to start preparing for the plastic apocalypse. Yes, I may just have to start hoarding plastic bendy straws and forks. And also hopefully never get caught with them. (She says to the entire internet.) Or ever run out. I get it: We want to be eco-friendly. Save the…

The Struggle of Getting Medical Equipment

My life is full of medical appointments, and they all tend to be fairly inconvenient. Necessary, but inconvenient. I can’t attend them on my own because, well, I can’t drive or take care of myself. So, my mom ends up having to take a day off work…

SMA and Progression: Do What You Love While You Can

SMA comes with a lot of challenges. The progression of the disease is the worst — at least, in my experience. About a year to 18 months ago, I finally had to accept the fact that I just couldn’t drive my electric chair anymore. Honestly, I probably shouldn’t have…

Unconventional Relief for My Chronic Migraines

The A in SMA stands for “atrophy.” Atrophy means “to waste away.” My muscles are wasting away, and that can cause a lot of other problems. Scoliosis? Check. I had corrective surgery for this when I was 7. Osteoporosis? Yup. Healthy…