In the North Carolina mountains, spring signifies random weather: gorgeous blue skies, rain, wind, thunder, snow, and freeze warnings — sometimes all on the same day. Buds and blossoms are exploding, and the bees are happy. We noticed the annual duck visitation in the pond and spied the first…
Columns
The 2014 film “Boyhood” caught the attention of audiences and critics upon its release for its wildly experimental approach. Writer-director Richard Linklater spent 12 years making the movie, following the main character, Mason, from elementary school until he went away to college. Linklater used the same…
As humans, we so often want everything to fit into tidy little boxes with labels that clearly identify the contents. But while we may be able to draw a few parallels, life isn’t exactly like organizing a storage closet. It’s more complicated than that. That knowledge doesn’t always stop us…
Some of life’s best lessons come from the beach. Don’t you agree? Maybe it’s because I’m a solar-powered soul, but the beach is my happy place. It’s where I go when I need to recharge and clear my head. There’s something about the sound of waves crashing onto the shore…
If you regularly read what I write, you’ll know that whether you have a rare disease or not, I have similar emotions and thoughts as everyone else. Yet, the medical symptoms I experience from SMA must seem completely foreign to anyone who doesn’t live through it…
It’s been three years since COVID-19 lockdowns were implemented around the world. When that happened, time seemed to grind to a halt as the world intently followed the latest public health announcements. Plans were ripped apart as businesses all around us were shuttered. Three years later, as we’re still…
Machines are a vital and everyday component of my existence. There’s the BiPAP machine pumping air into my lungs when I go to sleep. It sits on my nightstand above my cough assist, another device designed to help improve my respiratory function. Then there’s my Jaco robotic arm,…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Evrysdi. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. I never thought it would be this difficult to secure a life-altering treatment. This is about my best friend and…
While living with SMA, I’ve been on the receiving end of many people’s misconceptions about the disease. To an extent, I understand their lack of awareness; there are many diseases and conditions that I don’t know about, either. But there’s a fine line between not understanding the complexities of…
Our spring break kicked off on April 6 with an early release for students. I fell into the lengthy car line at 11:30 a.m. to pick up our grandkids, Clara, a first grader, and James, who’s in pre-K. Both had been giddily counting down to this time for days, especially…
