Leah is a Southern California-based patient writer. She’s been an active member of the muscular dystrophy community since her regional ambassadorship with the MDA beginning at the age of 10 after her diagnosis of a rare neuromuscular disease, mitochondrial myopathy (Mito). Leah advocates for those with disabilities and promotes an understanding of her condition by evoking a positive outlook upon the obstacles she faces. Leah’s work doesn’t just stop at her column: she also doubles as a co-moderator on the MD News Forums. Away from her jobs, Leah is known among family and friends for her artistic creativity and outgoing personality.
As a kid, I found it difficult to bond with other children with muscular dystrophy (MD). As a young teen, I often compared myself to others — including those living with MD. The invisibility of my disease often made me feel like an outcast. The rarity of my type of…
Most people with a chronic illness inevitably learn to expect the unexpected with their health. No matter how meticulously I attempt to plan around my body’s needs, mitochondrial myopathy sometimes has a different agenda. I lose control over my body and feel as though I must bend to the…
Finding the perfect Christmas gift requires listening intently to the recipient’s wants and needs. This year, the social media team at Muscular Dystrophy News Today asked followers what would be on their wish lists to make their lives easier and more comfortable. These recommendations are sure to put a…
A recent cold front has swept through the U.S. As the snow and rain arrive, they bring problems for my skin. The epidermis, the outermost layer, becomes dry, cracked, and irritated. If like me you experience issues with your skin in the winter months, I’d like to share my go-to…
It’s over a month since my gallbladder surgery, and I couldn’t be happier with my healing process. I previously wrote about adjusting to life after gallbladder removal and mentioned using supplements to regulate my digestive system. In this column, I share a review of my experience with those supplements.
Fall and winter have always been my favorite seasons. I eagerly await the cooler weather by prematurely washing my sweaters and drinking warm beverages. This year, I’m particularly excited for the changing of seasons because of some maddening mosquitoes. This summer, a non-native mosquito species terrorized me and other…
Sometimes life with a chronic invisible illness can feel backward and upside down. As if anything that I do, whether positive or negative, could come back to bite me in the butt. It’s dizzying to try to predict people’s reactions to something as simple as a photo of me showing…
“That’s right. You’ll be able to resume your regular diet after gallbladder removal.” My surgeon’s words ring in my ears as my television airs food commercials and I chomp on carrot sticks. Two weeks after my operation and I’m finally back to my old self. I can flaunt my skinny…
In the summer of 2017, I received an email from a woman named Serena Lawrence. She had discovered me on Instagram, and had learned about my past ambassadorship with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and my blog “Millennial On Wheels.” She told me about a job opening as a columnist…
For most of my life, I’ve suffered from viral-induced asthma. While coughing and wheezing are often a constant with standard asthma, viral-induced asthma is triggered by infections such as the common cold or the flu. My first asthma memory was during my first-grade year. I missed a month of…
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