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.
I’ve been putting off this column for months, I guess in the hopes that it’d become easier to write. I didn’t want to go public until I knew for sure that everything was going…
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After two years of tweaking, my new wheelchair is home for good. I think. Most wheelchair users dread new devices. There’s the process of submitting the claim to insurance, which is frankly straight…
You know when something is wrong, but you can’t put your finger on what, exactly, that is? The past week has been an exercise in expecting the unexpected. I woke up Wednesday morning to…
It all started with a little pink pill. I’m allergic to everything under the sun. Thanks to a complex, multistep treatment regimen, I more or less have my allergies under control. But there…
Content warning: The following contains mentions of medical trauma and death. I knew something was wrong. But I didn’t always. When my friend and fellow columnist Sherry Toh messaged me one evening to say…
I hoard poems like others hoard sports trophies. It’d be an exaggeration to say that I have a poem for every emotion under the sun. But I do have ones that stick with me,…
I rarely ever cry. That’s a lie. I cry an average amount. I’m especially sensitive in moments of stress or tension. I’ve been known to burst into tears at the first sign of confrontation,…
By the time you read this, my dad will be back where he belongs. I am, of course, joking. My dad has a life outside of his caregiving duties, as he should. But there’s…
When it comes to COVID-19, I’ve been pretty darn lucky. I can count on one hand the number of people I know who haven’t gotten COVID-19 — myself among them. Somehow, miraculously, I’ve managed…
Late last month, I posted a Reel for Disability Pride Month about comparison. I’ve written previously about jealousy and the dangers of comparing yourself with others, especially when you’re living with a…
Sometimes it feels like I’m living two separate lives. I’m very intentional when it comes to social media. My Instagram account is a carefully curated feed of Reels, cat pictures, and pastel-colored infographics. This…
As I write this, my dad debates the longevity of one of my favorite dresses. I bought it used, so I don’t feel bad retiring it. But my dad is hesitant, despite the fact…
As part of this column, I’ve taken to recording encounters with ignorant — if well-meaning — healthcare providers. Fortunately for me, those encounters have been few and far between. But that doesn’t make those…
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