As a kid, there were two things I really couldn’t stand: math and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). I was too young and naive to have an angry fanboy mentality toward the “Star Wars” prequels. Math, however, didn’t coincide with my interests or adolescent…
Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer
I live my life surrounded by machines. I wake up every day wearing a soft nasal mask, which is connected by a large tube to my BiPAP machine. The steady flow of air pumping through the tube is the first thing I hear in the morning.
To any parent who has a child with SMA: Recently, I had a conversation with my caregiver Randy about our goals for the future. We talked about career goals, relationship goals, and all of the things we each wanted to do with our adult…
Full disclosure: I think Leif Erikson Day is far more legitimate than Valentine’s Day. Even though its popularity stems from the fictional universe of “SpongeBob SquarePants,” at least its origin isn’t directly linked to a beheading. Though I do think…
If someone asks me to speak in front of hundreds of people, I say “no problem.” Stick a needle in my neck for a Spinraza injection, and it’s no big deal. When it comes to traveling across the country for an SMA conference or…
Even before its theatrical release, the new film “The Upside” garnered its fair share of criticism from a number of disability activists on social media. Its main controversy stems from the fact that it’s yet another example of an able-bodied actor playing a…
Across social media platforms right now, there’s a trend where people post pictures of themselves from 10 years ago next to current ones. The idea is to see how much people have changed over a decade and to laugh at embarrassing old images. It’s been entertaining,…
“Well, I certainly hope this little incident hasn’t put you off flying, miss,” says Christopher Reeve in the 1978 “Superman” film. “Statistically speaking, of course, it’s still the safest way to travel.” Well, if you’re Lois Lane and the Man of Steel comes to your…
In season five of the FX series “Sons of Anarchy,” main character Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) watches his best friend Opie (Ryan Hurst) die in a prison fight. It’s a brutal scene that features some of the show’s defining elements: Shakespearean drama, graphic violence, and…
Two years ago, I had just graduated from college and I found myself filled with uncertainty about my future. As a physically disabled 23-year-old on Social Security with an English degree, even I joked about the likelihood of facing unemployment and being forced into academia for…
