Columns

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…

We often talk about the qualities of an ideal caregiver and what one should look for, but we rarely talk about what we as patients can do for our caregivers. The patient-caregiver relationship works both ways, and it’s important to keep in mind that our…

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…

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…

  Throughout my life, I have been blessed with some of the best friends a human could ever ask for. A few columns ago, I talked about spending a good portion of the past year with my friend, Sam. I want to dedicate this column to…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Family is important. A supportive family, both immediate and extended, is so beneficial when raising a child with SMA. People often do not know how to help. While there is no set of rules for how they can help, the best rule of…