Life is so much easier with a sense of humor

I’m feeling funny today — humorous, in fact. Brimming with sarcasm and a splash of laughter, today feels like a cocktail, served over ice and garnished with a tiny umbrella and an extra-long, twisty straw. The main ingredient? Wit, with a dash of mischief. Why?

Why not.

Every so often, I revisit my past columns and notice a recurring trend: They’re almost all serious. That’s understandable, as living with a rare, chronic illness means there’s no shortage of weighty topics to tackle as I share my voice, experiences, and perspective. But for those who don’t know me personally, here’s something important: I’m also hilarious — always have been, and I hope I always will be.

Life with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy has produced its fair share of absurd and funny moments, enough to fill an entire column with laughter. I like to borrow the old American Express credit card slogan that says, “Membership has its privileges.” In my own humorous way, I say this to people to help them understand how I feel about living a disabled existence.

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Take me out to the ballgame

My close friends have fully embraced my twisted sense of humor, often joining in, especially in public. Together, we sometimes unleash harmless shenanigans on unsuspecting crowds. It’s all in good fun.

Here are a few stories that actually happened:

1. People always comment on how lucky I am to “get good parking,” right up near a store, restaurant, or other public place. I tell them that membership has its privileges. Then I tell them that I’d be happy to switch bodies with them so they can “get good parking, too,” but also lose the ability to use the toilet independently, dress themselves, prepare food, and get in and out of bed without help. While we’re at it, no, I don’t “sleep in my wheelchair.” Well, maybe I do if the conversation is boring.

2. My best friends and I used to entertain people while waiting for a table outside restaurants. Back in the day, I used a manual folding wheelchair. Often, a friend would drive, I would ride in the car, and the chair would be in the trunk. We’d park like normal people (I call them “ableds”), and my buddy would pop me into the chair, push me toward the restaurant, and, weather permitting, would “park” me sitting in my chair in an open handicap parking spot.

A big show was made of maneuvering me just so that I was covering the blue logo of the handicap symbol. People outside waiting for tables usually looked mortified, which was hysterical. My friends would then remove my main wheels, which popped off just like a bicycle tire, and tell me that they would see me after dinner. Then, I’d announce to the people that I have the best friends.

Of course, these friends would quickly replace my wheels, and we’d go inside to dine.

3. After attending a baseball game at Fenway Park, the home of my beloved Boston Red Sox, I rolled out of the stadium to come upon a row of vendors on the street. These guys were selling souvenirs, food, and baseball shirts. I took a look at rows of ball caps and commented (quietly) to my buddy that $30 was a bit steep for a hat. A vendor heard me, took a look at my chair, then looked left and right down the street.

“Take a cap,” he said.

“No thanks, I’m good,” I replied.

He insisted and told me he wanted me to have one to make sure I had a great time at the game. I took one, said thank you, and my buddy put it on my head. As we rolled away, my buddy said, “Dude, you totally got that hat for free because of your wheelchair.” We laughed. Then, I replied, “Membership has its privileges.”

Time and again, I choose to view life through the lens of humor. It’s my way of staying balanced, especially when life tries to tip the scales.

If it feels right, use this column as a writing prompt. Share a time that humor took over your disabled life for a few moments, resulting in a great story.

Note: Muscular Dystrophy News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Muscular Dystrophy News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to muscular dystrophy.