Columns

It’s Time for More Understanding

I think I can speak for the majority of the disability community when I say that we all crave a little more empathy and understanding from others. While I don’t expect a stranger on the street to fall in love with me at first sight, I do expect…

Lost? Find a Mentor

After I graduated high school, I had zero ideas of what I would do from there. The paths that young adults typically take were not workable for me. I couldn’t simply move into an apartment and get a job at Starbucks. I couldn’t go off to college,…

Ella Joins the Art Club

Henry’s been in soccer for quite some time now, and he’s getting really good at it. He loves to play, attends practices willingly, and looks forward to games each week. Ava takes violin during school and after school. She practices almost every day in the living…

The Existential Crisis of a Bridesmaid-to-be

It seems like everyone I know is getting married. People I went to high school with are updating their relationship status on Facebook to “engaged.” They change their last name and so the first few times they pop up on my news feed, it takes me…

Creating a Silver Lining to Every Story

Last week, I wrote about the harsh reality that sometimes is SMA. I retold the story of my attempt to drive through the mountains of New Hampshire and how after breaking down at a gas station, I realized my body had other plans. I explored the…

Siblings Form a Special Bond

Siblings. Ella has two of them, both older: Ava (11) and Henry (9). They face all of the typical adventures that kids their age face such as school, friends, and screens. But one thing they have to work with that eludes their peers is having a…

Why I’m Grateful for My ‘Normal’ Education

“Normal” isn’t exactly a word that describes anyone with SMA. We do things differently than most people, have different challenges, and live unabashedly abnormal lives. (Just look at my diarrhea and disability column from last week.) Nevertheless, there is no reason why those of us…

Success with My ‘Hamilton’ Adventure

I was nervous about “Hamilton.” For one thing, I’d listened to the original cast recording so many times I was worried I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the touring version. For another, I wouldn’t have my parents around if something went wrong.