When my little brother and I were barely out of our toddler years, there was one question I’d constantly hear other parents ask my mum: “Did your children get all their vaccination shots?” To which my mum would reply: “Yes. After their father refused to let Sherry receive the vaccination…
Back in November, the latest e-newsletter from We Carry Kevan (WCK) landed in my inbox, and this one included an intriguing request. They were looking for volunteers to serve as ambassadors who would promote the organization’s mission of redefining accessibility in their communities. One area where ambassadors were…
At first glance, my life may seem unusual. The more people get to know me, though, the more they’ll see that I share many of the same problems and emotions that most others have. Like everyone, I’ve experienced the death of loved ones. But I’ve also experienced loss in a…
During our years in elementary school, my brother, Paul, and I took a variety of summer lessons — art, tennis, swimming, and horseback riding — and classes at the local museum. A nearby public swimming pool and a small park and its tadpole-laden creek were within walking distance from home.
As I write this, I’m sitting in the lobby of a Las Vegas hotel. This morning, I awoke to breathtaking views of giant Utah canyons, where rock formations spewed from the earth in spectacular fashion. Just a few days ago, my parents and I were eating at a Memphis barbecue…
For the first time in three years, I’m on the road again. By the time you read this, I’ll be a day out from Anaheim, California. This isn’t the first time my parents and I have made this trip — in 2019, we spent two weeks road-tripping across the…
Whether it has directly affected you or not, chances are you’ve heard about the formula shortage happening in the United States right now. It’s a serious issue, one that has people rationing what they have and living on a prayer that they’ll continue to be able to…
This Pride Month, I recalled an old friend from England telling me, “If anyone thinks being gay or bi is a choice or a lifestyle, they’re probably not straight.” It’s a broad statement, one I believed then, but not anymore. In the years since I’ve heard it, I’ve known people…
My parents’ dreams revolve around the middle of nowhere. You probably think I’m joking. But the fact remains that I’m writing this column from a tiny town in Wisconsin with a population in the 800s. They’ve been nurturing this dream for as long as I can remember. Looking back, I…
I’m fairly frequently asked what the hardest part of living with SMA is, but no matter how many times I hear the question, I seldom know how to answer it. Each day brings its own unique hardships, so how I respond changes based on the struggles of that particular…
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