SMA News Today Columns

May 4, 2021May 4, 2021

Like the Legendary Peter Jackson, I Stay True to Myself

Peter Jackson, the New Zealand filmmaker who spearheaded “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and the 2005 remake of “King Kong,” is known for being a bit of a maverick. ... Read more

May 3, 2021May 3, 2021

Climbing Out of That Which Resembles the Grave, but Isn’t

SMA News Today Columns

I’ll be honest. I wasn’t sure what to write about. To the point where I briefly considered skipping this week’s column. I try not to, because I’m an overachiever who ... Read more

April 30, 2021April 30, 2021

My Work Connections Blossomed Into Close Friendships

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

April has been a special month for me. It probably always will be because April is when I get to celebrate the anniversary of starting my dream job here at ... Read more

April 30, 2021April 30, 2021

Reflecting on My Diagnosis Day, 30 Years Later

SMA News Today Columns

Last week marked 30 years since my diagnosis day. So many emotions resurfaced as I reflected on the past three decades and all that has happened in terms of medical ... Read more

April 29, 2021April 29, 2021

Your Thoughts Are Powerful, and You Have the Ability to Change

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

One of the most extraordinary things about life is its ability to change the person we used to be into something completely new. We can’t always choose what befalls us ... Read more

April 28, 2021April 28, 2021

Angels of a Feather May Flock Together

SMA News Today Columns

Just over two years after our baby Jeffrey died from spinal muscular atrophy, my brother-in-law, Steven, passed away. My husband, Randy, our two children, Matthew and Katie, and I made ... Read more

April 28, 2021April 28, 2021

My Coming-of-Age Has Come and Gone: Revisiting Taylor Swift’s ‘Fearless’

SMA News Today Columns

On April 9, I traveled back in time. I mean this metaphorically, of course. As much as I wish time travel were feasible in our world, it unfortunately remains the ... Read more

April 26, 2021April 26, 2021

Pride Cometh Before the Side Effects

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

It’s not that I didn’t think I’d have side effects. I hoped. Just like I hoped that COVID-19 would wind down by late last summer; just like I hoped “The ... 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 22, 2021April 22, 2021

The Importance of Finding People Who Recognize My Worth

SMA News Today Columns

We live in an age of rumors and widespread gossip. Many people seem to be mudslinging, and we’re all covered in it. Gossip didn’t start with the rise of social ... Read more

April 21, 2021April 21, 2021

The Siren Song of a Magic Cure

SMA News Today Columns

A woman lies in a hospital bed, her breathing erratic and her forehead damp with sweat. She’s shaking from the pain she’s in. In a matter of days, the loss ... Read more

April 20, 2021April 20, 2021

Managing Chaos Lesson No. 4,491: A Friday Night Wheelchair Malfunction

SMA News Today Columns

My dad and I both heard the perfunctory snap as the right armrest on my power wheelchair lowered. I was about to get ready for bed on a Friday night, ... Read more

April 19, 2021April 19, 2021

The Green-eyed Elephant in the Room

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

Let’s talk about the green-eyed elephant in the room. I’m a naturally jealous person. The therapist in me is convinced that my childhood has something to do with it — ... Read more

April 16, 2021April 16, 2021

It’s Time to Stop Stigmatizing Lifesaving Tracheostomy Tubes

COVID-19 Columns, SMA News Today Columns

My family and I are gathered around the television when one of our favorite shows is interrupted by a commercial. An image is shown of a young person smiling at ... Read more

April 16, 2021April 16, 2021

Why My Teacher and I Faked My Detention in Middle School

SMA News Today Columns

Growing up, I was a fairly well-behaved student. I did my homework. I paid attention during class. I always raised my wand (my way of raising my hand since I ... Read more