How self-comparison can lead us down the wrong path in life
Every once in a while, I’m seized with unbearable jealousy. That’s not true. It isn’t jealousy so much as a sense of falling behind. Social media, while great for some things, is horrid…
The Wolf Finally Frees Itself
— Brianna Albers
Brianna Albers (she/her) is a crip-cyborg storyteller living in Minneapolis-St. Paul. She was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy type 2 in 1996 and lives with co-occurring physical and mental health conditions. By day she works as an advocate, bridging disability and mental health awareness to empower people to live their best lives; by night, she dabbles in imagination, and is currently writing “An Angel in the Garden,” an adult space fantasy with #OwnVoices disability representation. Find her online at briannahopealbers.com and on social media @briehalbers.
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Putting yourself — your whole self — out there is a challenge
I prefer to write columns after everything is said and done. It’s why I didn’t tell you all about my dad’s cancer until I knew he was going to be OK. I write…
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I’m learning to recognize big ‘T’ trauma in my own life
Jokes are my coping mechanism of choice. If there’s tension in the room, you can bet I’m trying to come up with some way to lighten the mood. I pride myself on staying as…
How a clogged feeding tube brought me to the edge of death
Content warning: This column discusses medical trauma. Last in a series. Read part one here. I knew something was wrong when I started throwing up. After an eight-hour wait in an emergency room…
When a last-minute trip takes a turn for the worse
Content warning: This column discusses medical trauma. First in a series. Who really knows what time it is? 11? 12? 1? Time blurs when you’re on the precipice of something that will throw…
‘Into the Unknown’: Embracing the unexpected in life with SMA
When I chose my theme for 2024, I didn’t expect to take it for a spin before the year even started. Every December, I start thinking about a word or phrase that will guide…
A look back at 2023, a year of contraction
On a Sunday morning in mid-November, I opened my email to a newsletter from one of my favorite writers, Catherine Andrews. In it, she named the past 15 years of her life as…
‘A tricky stick’: The challenges of getting blood drawn with SMA
The clock ticked accusingly on the wall. A lab technician had been inspecting my arm for the better part of 10 minutes, all in search of a vein that would put out a nominal…
The changing seasons trick me into thinking my disease has progressed
Some people live for cold weather. They hate the heat, for some strange, inexplicable reason, and live for the day when they can pull out their chunky knit sweaters and thick, fuzzy socks. I…
Adults with SMA need and deserve better support systems
Every person with SMA deserves to have comprehensive care and to know they'll be taken care of, no matter what happens, from birth to death, says patient advocate Brianna Albers.
I owe my life to an incredible support team growing up
First in a series. “What was your support system like growing up?” I was on the phone with a researcher from Augustana University in South Dakota. We were discussing my transition from pediatric to…
Why medical professionals need to familiarize themselves with SMA
Growing up, my pediatrician was more than a doctor; she was part of the family. She supported me through all of life’s transitions, from puberty and menstruation to my transition to adult care when…
One year later, a mysterious mouth injury strikes again
I’d just survived a car accident in Phoenix while road tripping with my parents from our home in Minnesota to the 2022 Cure SMA conference in Anaheim, California. (Long story short, my…
