Embracing My Inner Alien – a column by Kevin Schaefer

After three denials by my insurance provider, countless phone calls and my amazing neurologist fighting for me, I finally acquired a new wheelchair a few days ago. The process ... Read more

August 8, 2017August 7, 2017

Common Sense 101: Every Hospital in America Should Have a Hoyer Lift

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

To the average person who only visits in the event of an emergency, it may seem like hospitals have every kind of medical equipment imaginable. Even the run-down ones ... Read more

August 1, 2017July 31, 2017

On Being Approved for Spinraza

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

Last week I wrote about the different perspectives within the SMA community toward Spinraza treatment, with a brief summary of where I stood on the issue. As it turns ... Read more

July 25, 2017July 25, 2017

Not Everyone Who Has SMA Wants Spinraza … and That’s OK

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

December 23, 2016 was a big day for my family and me. Not only did my sister go into labor with she and her husband’s first child on this ... Read more

July 18, 2017July 18, 2017

As My Body Weakens, I Must Adapt and Move Forward

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

As I’m writing this, I’m not working on a laptop, but on my iPhone. To my left is my robotic arm, mounted on the side of my wheelchair, which ... Read more

July 11, 2017July 10, 2017

Rolling Through Disney: The 2017 Cure SMA Conference

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

There was a period when the last thing I wanted to do with my summer was spend time with other people who have SMA. As a moody, cynical teenager, ... Read more

June 27, 2017June 26, 2017

Growing Pains Can Be a Real Headache with SMA

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

When I was a kid, I was skinny as a stick. Part of this was because I got sick so often, but the other reason was that I was ... Read more

June 20, 2017June 20, 2017

Post-College Career Finds the Bright Side of a Broken System

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

I’ve known for a long time that my post-college life would be a little unorthodox compared to that of my friends. While most people who graduate either enter the ... Read more

June 13, 2017June 12, 2017

Do I Hate It when People Tell Me that I’m an Inspiration?

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

The other night I was hanging out with a friend from college at a downtown pub. As we sat down and ordered a couple of beers, an older gentleman ... Read more

June 6, 2017June 6, 2017

Caregivers: The Good, the Bad and the Crazy

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

Last fall, in a creative writing course, I wrote a fictional letter that was mostly a satirical piece about my experiences with caregivers. I wrote it from the perspective ... Read more