Thinking about parallel universes can be scary. Sometimes, though, it’s necessary to think about the scary what-ifs in order to be more aware of the positive things in life. More on this in a minute. For my friend and fellow columnist Halsey Blocher and me, looking at the bright side…
Soaring With Hope – a Column by Ari Anderson
SMA Awareness Month is coming up in August. The question for me is, what’s the best way to raise awareness about this disease? My thoughts are that it is best to share that sometimes life can get a little dark for those of us with SMA. Over the past…
One day about 15 years ago, I was watching a funny show. It was lighthearted and entertaining, yet one comment made me think seriously. It still does. A person said, “I heard that computers were a fad!” Obviously, it was a joke. However, I thought to myself, “Where would I…
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…
Here comes the latest adventure in the saga to remove my kidney stones. Spoiler alert: I came close to leaping over the hurdle of getting the surgery done. Unfortunately, though, I didn’t quite make it to the operating room. Relax. The reason had nothing to do with me.
While reflecting on my life today, a witty phrase popped into my head. I laughed to myself as I thought, “I don’t have to go looking for trouble, trouble will find me.” As I’ve said before, if I didn’t have a sense of humor about some things, I would…
Today, I thought about the question, “How can I become a better advocate?” For the first time, I realized that I’d taken part in advocacy activities even when I didn’t know it. This is how it happened. I like to buy and download turn-based PC games. In these, I…
Today I want to talk more about my outlook on life, as well as yours. Hopefully, nobody who regularly reads what I write ever comes away thinking that I have it all together. I will be working on my outlook and personal growth until the day I die. I hope…
Am I in Control, or Is My Chair?
Years before the pandemic, I was visiting a museum in Washington, D.C. A young child looked at me and my high-tech wheelchair. He then asked my mom, “Is he real?” I have to think from his perspective. We were at a technologically advanced museum. He probably thought that I…
We all experience moments that change our destiny. For me, it might have been learning whether I had passed a major college exam. For others, it might be the moment their partner responds to a marriage proposal. We often anticipate this type of life-changing moment. But what about unexpected moments?…
Recent Posts
- Women with SMA can have successful pregnancies with team-based care
- Test using zebrafish model helps doctors rule out SMA in 2 infants
- Temperature regulation is challenging, but vital with SMA
- When an SMA diagnosis makes a headline — and when it doesn’t
- Nothing prepared us for the SMA diagnosis of our surprise baby
