Every December, I write an end-of-the-year column. I try to make it inspiring, or at the very least optimistic, but sometimes I can’t even accomplish that. Last year’s wrap-up was essentially a long-winded way of me saying, “See you never, 2024, and good riddance.” For the most part, though,…
Columns
The other day, I got my wheelchair stuck in a doorway. All I wanted to do was see the Christmas decorations at a local coffee shop. Perhaps even enjoy a nice cup of their matcha while quietly watching everything sparkle. Instead, I was wedged in the doorway, pushing my joystick…
Thanksgiving and Christmas are holidays that make me grateful. I am thankful for the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus, and how he not only brought me through all the events of this year in one piece, but also made me triumphant in many areas. One of my favorite…
The magic of theater is that it’s live. Despite having a script, cues, rehearsals, and anything else the cast and crew can use to achieve consistency, the live nature of theater means the production remains mutable. You can’t “lock in” scenes like you can with film. Plus, not only will…
When I was 11 years old, I had pneumonia and spent the week before Christmas in the intensive care unit. Because I have SMA, my pulmonary functions are weaker, and when I get sick — even with a common cold — it can quickly become something much worse. I’ve…
When I returned from the annual Cure SMA conference this summer, I knew something needed to change. I made a list of everything I’d been putting off, like finding a new therapist and setting up the photo shoot I’d been dreaming of for over a year. Then, in a…
Every morning, after relieving the night nurse, my mom walks toward my bed. “Snookums!” she lovingly calls out when she sees that my eyes are open. It’s a nickname that comes straight from her heart. Everything my mom does for me, which is a lot, comes from that same place.
Our granddaughter, Clara, turns 10 this month. She loves choosing themes for her birthday parties, and “PopPop,” as she calls my husband, Randy, challenges himself to design and bake elaborate cakes to match. This year’s theme is based on the Broadway musical and film “Wicked.”…
Seeking inspiration for this week’s column, I asked: “Hey, Mom. What is a favorite memory you have of our family traditions during the holidays?” “That’s easy,” came the surprisingly immediate response. “Sugar cookies.” The two words brought a smile and a flood of nostalgia to me. Every December, for as…
Dear reader, I did it. I made it through another Thanksgiving without being able to eat a single thing. This may not seem like an accomplishment to most, but as someone living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), it means everything to me. The holidays took on a different meaning…
