Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

August 4, 2022August 4, 2022

What Is the Opposite of My Life With Friedreich’s Ataxia?

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

When you’re a parent of preschool-age children, there’s a large focus on teaching the concept of opposites. Big and small, nice and mean, wet and dry, strong and weak, happy ... Read more

August 3, 2022August 3, 2022

Finding Reason When Living With a Rare Disease

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

“So I guess the old saying ‘everything happens for a reason’ is true,” my friend and supervisor Brittany Foster said, ending her presentation. I’m still thinking about her words a ... Read more

July 28, 2022July 28, 2022

Friedreich’s Ataxia Forces Me to Process and Cope With Fear

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

When you live under the banner of a degenerative disease such as Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), you become well acquainted with fear. You fear what your body has in store for ... Read more

July 26, 2022July 26, 2022

The Importance of Avoiding a Negative Mindset When You Have FA

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

Today at work, my small team visited two of our stores and facilitated friendly competitions in the grocery sport of bagging. July is the beginning of our monthslong pursuit of ... Read more

July 20, 2022July 20, 2022

Everything Doesn’t Always Happen for a Reason, but There’s Always Hope

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

In a conversation with a friend, she said, “I guess everything happens for a reason.” Hearing this really bothered me, even though that phrase is pretty ubiquitous; I’ve heard it ... Read more

July 14, 2022July 14, 2022

The Against-the-Odds Impact That Being Rare Has on My Life

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is incredibly rare. So rare, in fact, that I’d never even heard of it before I was diagnosed with it in 2013. Getting that rare, 1-in-50,000-people diagnosis ... Read more

July 12, 2022July 12, 2022

With Friedreich’s Ataxia, Life Is Like a Roller Coaster

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

I thoroughly enjoy the unexpected twists and turns and the adrenaline rush of roller-coaster rides. I’ve loved roller coasters since I was old and tall enough to ride them. My ... Read more

July 7, 2022July 7, 2022

How I ‘Take Heart’ on My Friedreich’s Ataxia Journey

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

Life with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) can feel daunting as we face hardships, struggles, and countless tribulations. Most FA patients I know have a positive attitude and try to keep moving ... Read more

July 6, 2022July 6, 2022

The Night We Watched ‘Stand by Me’ and I Cried

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

About five years ago, I packed about three DVDs before my buddy and I left for a weekend at a fishing camp. We didn’t plan on watching many movies, I ... Read more

June 28, 2022June 28, 2022

The Power of Friendships in Life With Friedreich’s Ataxia

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

I can’t exactly put my finger on why, but for a long time, I thought success had to do with how many friends I had. How many of them called ... Read more

June 23, 2022June 23, 2022

The Delicate Art of Fielding Questions About My Walker

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

I’m frequently asked, “What happened to you?” The person asking usually points at my walker. What they’re really asking is, “Why are you using a walker?” People don’t tend to ... Read more

June 22, 2022June 22, 2022

I’m Trying Not to Feel Discouraged by My Genetic Test Results

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

I eagerly kept refreshing my inbox. My local doctor’s office had called about 20 minutes earlier, letting me know that it had received my genetic test results and would forward ... Read more

June 17, 2022June 17, 2022

Even When You Don’t Think You Can, Do It Anyway

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

Greetings! These summer temperatures are getting close to the triple digits down here in Alabama, and honestly, if it doesn’t involve air conditioning, I’d rather not go. I have a ... Read more

June 17, 2022June 21, 2022

Even When You Don’t Think You Can, Do It Anyway

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

Greetings! These summer temperatures are getting close to the triple digits down here in Alabama, and honestly, if it doesn’t involve air conditioning, I’d rather not go. I have a ... Read more

June 16, 2022June 16, 2022

An Open Letter to My Friends, Who Support Me in Life With FA

Friedreich’s Ataxia News Columns

I often write about how important it is to have a strong village supporting you in life — not only for big things like parenting and disabilities caused by Friedreich’s ... Read more