Rewards of Being a ‘Funcle’ With SMA
Christmas Eve marks four years since I became an uncle, or as I like to call myself, a “funcle.” I let my sister and brother-in-law attend to all of the important parental responsibilities, while I do things…
Embracing My Inner Alien
— Kevin Schaefer
Kevin Schaefer (he/him) is a writer, podcaster, and lover of all things pop culture. Diagnosed with SMA type 2 at the age of 18 months in 1995, he shares a vast array of hilarious and eye-opening stories from his life with a neuromuscular disability. He works as the associate director of community content for this site’s parent company, Bionews. He also hosts the SMA News Today Podcast. Kevin is a graduate of North Carolina State University and lives with his parents in Cary, NC. People regularly mistake him for Tony Stark, on account of his intellect and advanced technological equipment.
Featured Post
Your SMA mission, should you choose to accept it
In the “Mission: Impossible” franchise, each movie starts with Tom Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, opening an encrypted message that outlines his next assignment. As an agent for the Impossible Mission Force (IMF), Hunt uses his unique skills…
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Boy Meets Wonder
The ABC sitcom “Boy Meets World” was a staple of my childhood. My sister and I spent many afternoons watching the hilarious and often idiosyncratic adventures of Cory, Shawn, and Topanga play…
Identity, SMA, and Thinking Outside the Box
In his essay for The New Yorker, “Who Am I?”, comedian Demetri Martin explores his identity both literally and figuratively. He opens by saying that he is “not…
To the People Who Got Me Through This Year
If 2020 were a movie, it would have the aesthetic of David Lynch and the shocking twists and horrors of a Stephen King novel, and it would run the length of an unedited Peter Jackson epic. Viewers…
It’s Been an SMA Kind of Day
Certain days can only be described as “an SMA kind of day.” It happens when the power cuts off in the middle of the night, causing the BiPAP machine to stop…
I’ve Learned That My Body Requires Balance
Do you sleep in your wheelchair? This is a question I used to get all the time in middle school. I always thought it funny that some of my peers…
Adapting to a Season of Change
Around the corner from my house there’s a shopping mall that’s stood as an iconic symbol of my small hometown for decades. It’s across the street from the high school my sister and brother-in-law went to, and…
A Spontaneous Adventure
As my 27th birthday approaches later this month, I recognize that this year will be vastly different from past celebrations. With the current global health crisis, many of us SMAers are spending a lot of time in…
Treasuring the Little Things
My 3-year-old niece Lily sat next to me, absorbed in the pages of her “Frozen” coloring book. On my right, my dad also was busy coloring an elaborate picture for her and…
Everything Takes Extra Effort When You Have SMA
It took three people to complete my retinal scan during my vision appointment the other day. Most people can just prop themselves up against the machine, stare into the camera, and finish in no time. SMA, however,…
Wearing My Vader Mask at Night
Every morning when I wake up, I feel like my nose took a beating the night before. Grogginess is one thing, but when you factor in a BiPAP machine, it adds an…
The Uncanny SMAers
Within the pages of the Marvel universe, one of the most iconic superhero teams is the “Uncanny X-Men.” There’s Cyclops with his optic blasts of energy, Marvel Girl with her…
