Columns

May 21, 2019May 17, 2019

No Accessible Room at the Inn

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

I now know what it was like for Mary and Joseph when they were trying to find a room in Bethlehem. While we didn’t have to resort to sleeping ... Read more

May 20, 2019May 17, 2019

A Spin on Accessibility: Wheeling Through a House of Oddities

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

In our free time together, my partner, Andy, and I enjoy adventuring.  I’m not talking about the classic mammoth-sized endeavors represented by the swingin’ satchels of Indiana Jones or ... Read more

May 20, 2019May 17, 2019

Despite a Chaotic Family Schedule, I Feel Gratitude in the Midst of Stress

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

It’s been, as they say, a day. My parents bought an airplane hangar and are transferring it to our vacation home in Wisconsin. My dad wants to turn it ... Read more

May 17, 2019May 16, 2019

Feeling Grateful in Unexpected Ways

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

Do you ever have moments when a wave of gratitude hits you in the last place you’d expect? They are the kind of moments that make you stop and ... Read more

May 16, 2019May 15, 2019

Good Can Come from Things That Are Intrinsically Bad

Columns, Refined By Fire - a Column by Ryan Berhar

Everyone with SMA has their own view of life with the condition, and for that matter, of life itself. However, after talking with some contributors to the SMA News ... Read more

May 15, 2019May 13, 2019

Our Ignorant Bliss Is in the Past

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

Our old farmhouse has one bathroom and not much square footage. In the fall of 1996, it was already a cozy fit for two adults, two kids (ages 10 ... Read more

May 15, 2019May 13, 2019

Ella Comforts Her Mom with a Picture After Her Surgery

Columns, Five Servings of Strength- a column by Michael Casten

Ella sits in her power chair at a table in the hospital’s surgical waiting room. She’s coloring a picture with the words, “The Best Is Yet to Come” on ... Read more

May 14, 2019May 9, 2019

School, Careers, and Success in Life, Part 1

Columns, The Mermaid Chronic(les) - a Column by Kala Godin

First in a series. School can be a special kind of hell when you’re the awkward kid in a wheelchair. You attend normal classes, but you don’t look normal. ... Read more

May 14, 2019May 17, 2019

Making Connections Through SMA Enriches My Life

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

A couple of months ago, a woman stopped me in the hallway of the clinic I go to for physical therapy. She overheard me talking with one of my ... Read more

May 13, 2019May 16, 2019

Colorful Adaptations: Crafting a Beauty Routine with Weak Hands

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

Like many others with SMA, my functional dexterity is limited. I’m grateful to still have the ability to write legibly, type on my keyboard, and maneuver my nimble fingers ... Read more