independence

July 12, 2019July 10, 2019

Overcoming Obstacles to Share My Love of Cooking

Columns, From Where I Sit - a Column by Halsey Blocher

Like many people, I love to cook. One of my favorite activities at Turnstone’s Adult Day Services program is the monthly cooking class, where I have learned to make ... Read more

July 3, 2019July 1, 2019

Ella Shows Her Independence While Finding a Solution at Bible School

Columns, Five Servings of Strength- a column by Michael Casten

Last week was Vacation Bible School (VBS) at our church, St. Timothy Lutheran Church. Lindsay is the director of the church’s VBS program and puts months of work into preparing ... Read more

April 24, 2019April 22, 2019

Ella Has a Sleepover

Columns, Five Servings of Strength- a column by Michael Casten

Ella is growing up. She is starting to see the world through new eyes. She’s finding humor in light sarcasm, developing a taste for music, and exploring her artistic ... Read more

April 9, 2019April 8, 2019

Adapting to Change Creatively

Columns, The Mermaid Chronic(les) - a Column by Kala Godin

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) can cause a lot of things, including muscle weakness, fatigue, and pain. It’s different for everyone. It also changes. One of the best side effects of ... Read more

March 12, 2019March 11, 2019

From Homebody to Road Warrior

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

I write a lot about defying the odds and being adventurous despite my disability. I’m not keen on being called an inspiration by people who don’t even know me, but nevertheless, ... Read more

March 6, 2019March 4, 2019

Ella Helps Her Sister to Bake a Cake

Columns, Five Servings of Strength- a column by Michael Casten

Henry left the house in the evening to go to a friend’s house for a sleepover. As soon as her brother had departed, Ella began complaining that she never ... Read more

February 20, 2019February 19, 2019

Ella’s Week of Pride as She Takes on New Challenges

Columns, Five Servings of Strength- a column by Michael Casten

Ella has had a full week. Her school held parent-teacher meetings over two days. At Ella’s school, the students lead the conferences. She made a slideshow to showcase her ... Read more

February 12, 2019February 14, 2019

A Different Kind of Valentine’s Day

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

Full disclosure: I think Leif Erikson Day is far more legitimate than Valentine’s Day. Even though its popularity stems from the fictional universe of “SpongeBob SquarePants,” at least its ... Read more

February 5, 2019February 20, 2019

Acquiring More Independence Is Exhausting, but Worth It

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

If someone asks me to speak in front of hundreds of people, I say “no problem.” Stick a needle in my neck for a Spinraza injection, and it’s no ... Read more

January 28, 2019January 24, 2019

My Journey Toward Greater Independence

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

A few weeks ago, a friend told me I had to see “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” It was everything I loved, with amazing graphics, she said, so I couldn’t ... Read more