Columns

Coming to Terms with My Spinraza Setbacks

My Spinraza journey has been a roller coaster ride so far, filled with joyous highs and gut-wrenching lows. I am a person who likes to make a decision and stand (or sit) by it. But with Spinraza (nusinersen), I have found it impossible to make an ultimate decision.

Ella Had a Lovely Time at MDA Camp

Ella and I sat at Dunkin’ Donuts, conversing about MDA Camp. (MDA is the Muscular Dystrophy Association.) She thoroughly enjoyed camp for all the wonderful activities she did, and especially for the people she became friends with. The camp wasn’t all peaches and…

Finding the Balance Between Realism and Optimism

My oldest cousin is getting married this weekend, and my youngest cousin is engaged. Two of my best friends are in long-term, committed relationships and talking about marriage. I turned 23 recently. All in all, I don’t feel any older, but I do feel more prone…

Think Before You Stare

There’s a paperweight that sits on my desk that reads, “People are going to stare. Make it worth their while.” Apparently, a man named Harry Winston stated this. I did a quick internet search of the fella, and it appears he was a well-known American jeweler in…

Always Have a Backup

Always have a backup. For the first time in her life, Ella is attending Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Summer Camp. We had prepared for this adventure for weeks, reassuring her that she’ll be all right without her parents (for the first time in…

Losing My Gaming Ability Opened Other Doors

There’s that old saying about how when one door closes, another opens. The original quote by Alexander Graham Bell is, “When one door closes another door opens, but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones…

Learning to Live with Chronic Pain

It’s ironic. I’ve been sick my entire life, but only in the past few months have I really felt chronically ill. I’m slowly, if not reluctantly, coming to terms with the fact that my sinus issues are chronic. A round of antibiotics and a hot…

First Introductions and Awkward Handshakes

What is the first thing you do when introduced to someone? You start off with a simple greeting, state your name, and extend your hand for a firm handshake, right? I know I’m going out of my way to state the obvious here, but stick with me. This…