Ella Learns to Grow Up in a Complicated World
My daughter with SMA, Ella, has a knack for making friends. She naturally draws people to her and always finds the good in them. Last week, Ella’s older brother, Henry, and her older sister,…
Five Servings of Strength
— Michael Casten
Michael is married and a father of three, one being a child with SMA Type II (born in June, 2011). He is an educator who has worked directly with children and their families since 1994. He loves his family, writing, working with his hands, and taking road trips. Michael holds a bachelor’s in psychology (1994) and a master’s in education (2001).
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Ella Has Fun While Sheltering at Home
Ella, 10, the youngest of our three children, is thriving. She has friends from school, in the neighborhood, and online. She sings in a community choir, and occasionally plays with her siblings. Due to Ella’s disease,…
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Ella Gets Help From a Therapist
The house is full of chatter while our kids — Ava, 13, Henry, 11, and Ella, 10 — talk to each other and play video games. The doorbell rings as one of Henry’s friends…
The Casten Kids Pursue Their Musical Talents From Home
As the fall approaches, we are getting ready for school and extracurricular activities. All of our kids — Ava, 13, Henry, 11, and Ella, 10 — are musically gifted. Ava has played the violin since…
I’m Thankful My School District Allows Me to Teach from Home
Ella will be entering fifth grade this fall. We opted for the online learning model at school, but right after we submitted our request, school officials announced that the entire district would be doing online learning.
Ella and Her Siblings Will Study Online This Fall
The time finally came for our family to make a decision about the type of schooling our children would choose this fall. The school district had offered two choices: a hybrid model…
Social Distancing at Grandma and Grandpa’s
The day boasted a brilliant sun. The warm winds blew through the trees and white, fluffy clouds adorned the sky. We packed up our car, loaded our two dogs, Ginny and Radcliffe, into the van, and headed…
Deciding Whether to Send Our Kids Back to School
School will start in a month or so, and Ella will be entering fifth grade, while her brother, Henry, starts sixth grade, and her sister, Ava, starts eighth grade. The local school system is…
Ella Is Losing Weight as She Grows Older
Ella is 10 and will start fifth grade this fall. She has “magic” adjustable rods in her back that give her height. But she has exhausted the length of the rod and will need a new…
Ella Offers Her Mom Comforting Words
The Castens are a family of five: Mom (Lindsay), Dad (Michael), and three kids (Ava, Henry, and Ella). Ava is 13, Henry is 11, and Ella is 10. We have two dogs and a bunny.
Ella Worries About Bullying in Junior High
Ella just finished fourth grade and will be entering her last year at elementary school in the fall. She loved fourth grade and learned so much. She’s a bit nervous for fifth grade, but she’s up…
Ella Loves Summer Play, Even with SMA
Ella loves the outdoors. As summer begins in our area, the warm weather follows, with shorts and short-sleeved shirts the preferred attire. But spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) presents some challenges for Ella as she plays outdoors.
Ella’s Golden Birthday Is a Success Despite the Quarantine
Ella had a special day last Wednesday. On June 10, she celebrated her 10th birthday. Ella turned double digits on her golden birthday. Naturally, she was excited for the day, but had no idea…
