Columns

New places, new people, new things: They’re exciting! As a parent, I encourage my children to try new things, step outside their comfort zones, and see what the world has to offer. There is no difference in how I parent my children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and my…

The last time I traveled on my own without my parents was last May, when my friends and I went to Hawaii. While my parents did come with us, they kept to the hotel room and let us explore. Being away from the comfort of home made me realize I…

I drive a massive, commercial-size, accessible, 12-passenger Dodge Promaster van with a high roof. And I love it for many reasons. Our van was never — and is not now — my dream car. But just like Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), it is something I have learned to…

Summer! The best time of year for my kids. We are currently counting down the days left of school. In Nebraska, school is out for summer break by the middle of May. So next week, all my children will be on summer break! My kids will spend plenty of…

There are a lot of things to hate about Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Last weekend, I found myself uncontrollably crying while FaceTiming a friend as I was explaining why I wanted to be in a relationship before I lost the ability to move my muscles at all. It’s hard to…

I had one of those moments that hit you hard with a dose of the future last week. And those hits hurt. I was pushing my baby daughter, Callie, in her stroller. We were on a walk to the middle school my son Rowen attends. I happily thought about it…

I write my columns on Tuesdays. I do this because I procrastinate. My deadline is Wednesday morning, and I’m not about to wake up early on Wednesdays to get it done. I am not a morning person, but I’m too old and have too many kids to stay up late…

When I went off to school at the University of Southern California (USC), it was the first time, like many other 18-year-olds, that I would be living away from home. It was an especially huge change for me because of my Duchenne muscular dystrophy and my reliance on my…

I’m late to pick up the kids from school a lot now. I haven’t always been this way, though. Last year, I’d arrive 10 minutes early every day and use it for some quiet prayer time. But since having a baby earlier this year, I arrive late to school…

We throw around the word “community” a lot in the rare disease space, but don’t always think about what it really means and how it’s vital for patients, family, friends, and caregivers. I rarely see anyone in a wheelchair in public, let alone a power chair. Growing up, I didn’t…