The ABC sitcom Speechless, which premiered in 2016, has been discussed widely among various disability communities since its debut. Beyond the fact that it is about a family whose eldest son has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, the show is not afraid to tackle subjects…
Columns
A few years ago, right around the time I started college, I fell into the deep, dark hole that is depression. Not knowing what the hole of depression usually looks like, I had no way of pulling myself out. So I just sat at the…
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how my Echo Show from Amazon Alexa has significantly increased my independence, particularly when I’m at home. Recently, my editors here at SMA News Today contacted me about several Echo Dot devices they had to give away…
I always get something out of my therapy sessions. Sometimes it’s a word or a phrase. I’ll never forget when my therapist told me that, even in the midst of an attack, I won’t be anxious forever. I don’t struggle as much with anxiety…
As much as I don’t like to admit it, sometimes life can be brutally unfair. I’m even hesitant to type these words because it seems as though everyone is always so focused on creating and chasing the idea of a perfect life. No one wants to be metaphorically…
Our nights are broken up by machines beeping, or Ella calling for us to reposition her as she sleeps. Having a child with SMA means interrupted sleep is par for the course. Overnight, Ella has her feeding pump running, giving her…
The other day Facebook reminded me that a year ago I gave stand-up comedy a shot at an open mic night. My local comedy club does open mic sessions every week, and since I have a few comedian friends who had been encouraging me to try it…
I’m writing this in the car again, off to Iowa for a weekend of family visits. It was a busy week, so I’m looking forward to a couple of hours of driving. For me it is a chance to catch up on things: Grad school applications, classwork.
Second in a series. Read Part 1 here. There’s a certain significance that Dec. 4 holds in my life. What started as an ordinary day morphed into the day that forever changed the course of my life. That’s just how life works in its mysterious ways. The…
Ella has lost five pounds over the past month, which has been the result of a dietary change. Before this change, she was primarily getting her nutrition via G-tube, while on an amino acid diet (known as an AA Diet) consisting of several nourishing liquids…
