Rob Stemple is a lifelong advocate for people with disabilities. He was diagnosed with FSHD in 1971 at age 14. Rob struggled with its’ affects for over 50 years. He lost his eyesight in a devastating crash with a drunk driver. Rob has been a special education teacher, director of a nonprofit organization serving the blind and a newspaper columnist. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Wendy, where they both enjoy hanging out with their kids and grandkids. Rob is a musician, composer, and recording artist. His theory of life is, “Do the best you can with what you’ve got to work with!”
I’m currently continuing to do the exercises my physical therapist recommended during my last therapy session. However, it hasn’t been stopping the progression of my facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). While I’m hoping the exercises are slowing the progression…
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Regular readers of my column will know that my wife, Wendy, and I moved from Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh in January 2023 to be closer to our children and grandchildren. There have been some issues, but…
In my last column, I wrote about the increasing difficulties I’m having safely navigating my home using the “furniture surfing” technique. I wondered whether it was time that I break out the walker and give it another try.
I had an incident about a month ago that I’ve been thinking about ever since. It’s left me wondering if it’s time for me to begin using a walker, something I tried years ago without much success. The Sunday…
I received an overwhelming response to my last column, in which I grappled with feelings of uselessness when my facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) prevented me from helping in the way I would have liked to do. In…
As I write this column, my wife, Wendy, is undergoing abdominal surgery. I won’t go into details, but it’s a pretty extensive procedure, so I’m concerned. I’d like to be there for Wendy, but due to my health issues,…
I’m reading “Eyes to the Wind: A Memoir of Love and Death, Hope and Resistance” by Ady Barkan, a late lawyer and political activist who had ALS. It’s been a tough read so far. In the…
Last night, my wife, Wendy, asked me if I’d like to go out to eat. For most people, this request wouldn’t require much thought. It’s a simple yes or no question. However, my facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) makes…
The symptoms of my facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) make staying positive a daily challenge. Many people with muscular dystrophy struggle with depression. This battle is magnified every winter as I also feel the impact of…
Pennsylvania’s Somerset County, where I lived before moving to Pittsburgh a year ago, is situated in the Laurel Highlands, an area that is part of the Appalachian Mountain Range. At an elevation of more than 2,000 feet…
I just turned 66. I’m not sure if it was my birthday, the calendar changing, or perhaps the fact that the men in my family don’t live especially long lives, but I’ve really been thinking about what kind of…
My wife, Wendy, and I have always loved having folks over to the house, especially during the holidays. We used to enjoy visiting our friends, as well. Having friends over was short-circuited when we moved to Pittsburgh in January,…
I was diagnosed with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) at age 14, when I was a freshman in high school. But even before that, I had begun adapting to my physical challenges. My FSHD journey actually started with…
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