Working Through the Process — Robin Stemple

If you’ve read any of my recent columns, you know that I’ve had a lot of health struggles of late. I’m back on the medical merry-go-round with physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical appointments,…

In a recent column, I talked about paring down my music rig and retiring my accordion. Over the years, I’ve transitioned from a 120-bass professional accordion to a 32-bass student model that, while less…

I have friends and family who seem to be living on a medical merry-go-round. Every day they go to doctor’s appointments, have medical tests, or go through therapy. Their lives revolve around their healthcare.

When I was 13 and my brother, Tim, was 16, we got skis for Christmas. I’m not sure why Mom and Dad decided to get them for us. Jeannette High School, my alma mater,…

I’ve played music since I was 5 years old. My first professional playing job was as an accordionist in a Polish polka band when I was 13. My accordion at the time was a…

One thing I was born with, aside from my facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), was narrow feet. As part of a working-class family, where money always seemed to be in short supply, my feet…

About a month ago, I came home from playing with my church’s music group at a nursing facility. We played a doubleheader, doing a set in the memory care wing, then another in the…

Many times over the years since the 1989 car crash that nearly killed me, I’ve been asked if I had any near-death or out-of-body experiences while I hung between life and death. I…

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) primarily affects muscles in the face, scapular region, and upper arms, hence the name. Progression is different for everybody, but the condition can eventually affect most, if not all,…

My wife, Wendy, and I had a wonderful Sunday recently. We rose early and hit the road to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where we had lived for over 41 years before moving to Pittsburgh to be…

I’m getting more comfortable using my walker. However, it just doesn’t pay to trust the darned thing. The other day in my bedroom, I was putting clothes away. I was planning to take…