Living

Who doesn't like going to a concert, performance, or sporting event? The problem is, it's not always easy to attend events at large events while living with a disability, such...

I’ve talked about the guilt I deal with in regards to the amount of work people need to exert in order to assist me throughout the day because of my...

I can honestly say some of my funnier moments coping with spinal muscular atrophy have come from having to use public restrooms. However, it wasn’t until I got married that...

I have gastroparesis, along with spinal muscular atrophy. I was diagnosed with it last year after almost a lifetime of stomach and GI issues. With the diagnosis came orders of...

The US government has many laws that protect and support rights for disabled persons. People with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) have certain rights under these laws. The Americans with Disabilities...

Self-care is one of those things we all know we should take care of, but neglect during stressful times. When managing daily chores, work, school, family, and friends gets to...

The time of year is upon us when the temps are dropping, the holidays are approaching and the terrifying “F” word is among us. I know that most parents do...

Conditions like spinal muscular atrophy may prevent you from working, as well as be expensive to treat. Getting approved for disability benefits from the US Social Security Administration (SSA) can...

Life consists of transitions both large and small. One could argue that transitions are good and bad. I would argue that life would be extremely boring if we never had...

Like our other Health Union condition communities, the Social Health Network brings people together to drive unique and impactful conversations about health. It also aims to expand opportunities for health...

I wrote an article a while back, “Staying Mentally Healthy.” In that article, I attributed a lot of my mental toughness to my circumstances. Most importantly growing up in a...

Jessie and her brother were born twins. It is important to realize that she was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at six months of age. My son did not...

After getting news that your child has a serious illness like spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), you will likely turn to family and friends for support. Here are some things to...

We quickly needed a village of professionals. Our daughter, Jessie, was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) back in 1974. We quickly realized that we needed to plan for a...

Many illnesses, such as spinal muscular atrophy, come with steep price tags. Once you have a diagnosis, navigating treatment expenses can be challenging. Insurance plans cover some expenses. But out-of-pocket...

I’ve talked about the “disability tax” in previous articles. You’ll hear people who have a physical disability use this term. It basically refers to the extra expenses that are incurred...

The United States government has many laws that protect rights to education for children with disabilities. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is considered an orthopedic impairment under these laws. This means...

In 1974, my wife and myself were frightened when the Pediatric Neurologist diagnosed my daughter, Jessie, with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) when she was less than a year old. During...

The festive side of the year is around the corner, and that always gets me excited! A key part of living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) for me has always...

Have you ever had a desire to cook an amazing meal for someone but had a thought, “how would I do that? With my spinal muscular atrophy, I can’t lift...