Posts by: Katie Napiwocki

I rolled up to the checkout counter, rosy cheeks beaming in delightful mimicry of the friendly-faced pansies beside me. The greenhouse air was thick and sweet like the morning sun’s ... Read more

June 3, 2021June 3, 2021

Embracing the Growing Pains of New Wheels

SMA News Today Columns

As a tiny tot, I crawled everywhere. I was the daintiest crouched explorer my backyard habitat had ever known. Once I crawled, my family soon beckoned me to begin walking. ... Read more

May 20, 2021May 20, 2021

Broken Hearts, Bird Nests, and Beagle Fur: A Legacy of Love

SMA News Today Columns

I sat on my outdoor patio, coffee cup in hand, breakfast before me, and eyes alive with wonder of where my beagle, Eva, might be. I scanned the feathered tips ... Read more

April 22, 2021April 22, 2021

Confessions of a Star Thief: The Paradox of Wishing Away Negative Aspects of SMA

SMA News Today Columns

Some people with disabilities say they’ve never wished for different circumstances. Well, I’m about to enter a black hole with you, in revelation of an honest confession: I’ve cast so ... Read more

April 15, 2021April 15, 2021

Keeping the ‘Wild Green Thorns’ of Advocacy Fatigue at Bay

SMA News Today Columns

Have you ever felt the sensation of the wild green thorns? In times of overwhelming frustration, they slither toward the pit of your inner sanctuary from outer reaches. Their barbed ... Read more

April 8, 2021April 8, 2021

The Comfort of Sunday Is Served Best With a Side of Rejuvenation

SMA News Today Columns

On the corner of Western Avenue and Birch Street, two dainty toddlers ruffled through vibrantly woven Easter baskets. A dawdling waterfall of sunlight beamed through the bay window, casting a ... Read more

April 1, 2021April 1, 2021

Treehouses and Toolboxes: Drawing the Blueprints of a New Caregiving Team

SMA News Today Columns

I recently ventured on safari with my heart and soul to take a look around at what growing a caregiving team means to me. My intentions established a touchstone from ... Read more

March 25, 2021March 25, 2021

When Life Feels Unbalanced, I Look for Harmony in the Intricacies of Spring

SMA News Today Columns

In North America, where I reside, an equilibrium springs forth this time of year. Because of the spring equinox, the dance of dominance between daylight and nightfall is at a ... Read more

March 11, 2021March 11, 2021

On Safari: Setting Intentions of Building My Caregiving Team

SMA News Today Columns

I haven’t mentioned this to you yet, but I’ve decided to go on safari. Wheeling through bristled grasslands and sprawling wilderness, I’ll breathe in the sights, sounds, smells, textures, and ... Read more

March 4, 2021March 4, 2021

Hot Air Balloons Adrift: Appreciating My Pulmonary Function With SMA

SMA News Today Columns

I gotta go climb some mountains, and I gotta do it now. That was the thought I focused on as I emerged from the pulmonary unit waiting room, weaving my ... Read more

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021

Rose Hips and Vintage Vanities: Staring Into My Reflection With SMA

SMA News Today Columns

I’ve done it yet again. I’ve fallen in love at first sight. (Would you expect anything less of an Aquarius?) I’ve been searching for a new bedroom vanity that better ... Read more

February 18, 2021February 18, 2021

A Rare Disease Traveler Finds Her Village

SMA News Today Columns

I was once a rare traveler wandering the countryside. On my shoulders, I carried a basket of artifacts and relics. Each piece correlated to moments in my life when I’ve ... Read more

February 11, 2021February 11, 2021

Thriving in the Winter Pines: Mother Nature, Will You Be My Valentine?

SMA News Today Columns

I could tell you this year has been difficult for me, and I’m certain you’d reply with a swift hitchhiker’s thumb and a comment to the effect of, “Yeah? Welcome ... Read more

February 4, 2021February 4, 2021

A Groundhog With SMA and a Writing Machine Considers Her Shadow

SMA News Today Columns

I’m a groundhog. Well, symbolically, I’m a groundhog. I emerged from my burrow on Groundhog Day, 1986. I’m reminded of this each year my birthday rolls around, when my mom ... Read more

January 21, 2021January 21, 2021

Being My Own Health Advocate Kindles Multidimensional Healing

SMA News Today Columns

When I say, “I don’t need my SMA to be fixed,” I mean it from the bottom of my heart. Last month, I set sail with my first dose of ... Read more