We’re Not in Kansas Anymore – a Column by Helen Baldwin

September 11, 2019September 9, 2019

Brockman Bears, Together Again

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

What seems a lifetime ago, my husband, Randy, and I decided to return to school for our teacher certifications. After quitting our joint job at a residential facility for ... Read more

August 28, 2019August 26, 2019

Little Bird … Good Night, Not Goodbye

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

Deciding on a column topic isn’t always a simple matter. Sometimes, I’m shoved into a new direction with a thud. Other times, the nudge is light as a feather. ... Read more

August 14, 2019August 14, 2019

SMA and the Big Sister

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

If our daughter, Katie, had arrived on her due date, I’d be writing about her birthday instead of her decision to hold off a few days — eight, to ... Read more

July 31, 2019August 2, 2019

Spreading SMA Awareness in August and Beyond

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

Like most families broadsided with an unexpected, rare diagnosis, my husband and I had never heard of the one attached to Jeffrey, our third baby. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) ... Read more

July 17, 2019July 15, 2019

Diagnosis Day — and the Day After

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

Keeping up with the calendars around here can be dizzying. One desk calendar is reserved for scheduling jobs for our small carpet-cleaning business. Reminders to do one thing or ... Read more

July 3, 2019July 2, 2019

Two Bright Lights: Jeffrey and Papa

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

I’m writing this on June 29, the 13th anniversary of my father’s death.    Remembering Dad today is impossible without including Jeffrey in my thoughts. Following his death, our ... Read more

June 19, 2019June 27, 2019

From SMA to BWS: Clara’s Diagnosis Was Unexpected

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

We had no reason to doubt that our third baby, Jeffrey, would be healthy. Our other children, Matthew and Katie, were in good health, and any known “premature” deaths ... Read more

June 5, 2019June 3, 2019

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

The past two and a half years have seen a whirlwind of celebration in the world of SMA. What I consider one of the best gifts possible for families ... Read more

May 15, 2019June 3, 2019

Our Ignorant Bliss Is in the Past

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

Our old farmhouse has one bathroom and not much square footage. In the fall of 1996, it was already a cozy fit for two adults, two kids (ages 10 ... Read more

May 1, 2019April 29, 2019

Forget You Not: Keeping Jeffrey’s Memory Alive by Starting a New Chapter

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

When our children, Matthew and Katie, were in elementary school, I volunteered regularly in their classrooms. As a former educator, I knew that no sane teacher would turn down ... Read more