Airline Travel When You Have SMA – Tips, Tricks, and What to Know Before You Go!...Traveling when you have SMA can be a daunting undertaking. Many individuals who have SMA have never flown on an airplane. Air travel remains quite inaccessible even in 2022. As...reactionscomments
ABLE Account Information...Let’s talk about saving money while being on government assistance in the United States. I am on social security disability which is different from supplemental security income but still riddled...reactionscomments
Having Adult Braces...Previously I wrote about getting my wisdom teeth removed and the pre and post-surgery to make sure everything was successful considering my respiratory issues. But the process to fix my...reactions1comment
Massage Therapy and SMA...I wrote an article talking about the benefits I have been experiencing from stretching. I also had a long run at receiving massage therapy. Again I’m not a doctor so...reactions2comments
What I Would Tell My Teenage Self...I’m approaching my 33rd year of life, and as I reflect on my younger years, I remember thinking I had it all figured out when I was in my teens...reactionscomments
A Difficult Decision About Scoliosis Surgery For Our Daughter...In the 1980s, my daughter who had spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was growing bigger and taller. We noticed that she was having difficulty sitting upright by herself in her wheelchair...reactionscomments
Sibling Love...I have talked about Mike’s good friends who were always including him with all their adventures. Well, the best friend of all in his younger years was his brother Dan...reactionscomments
Emotional Effects of a Spinal Fusion...I know many things have advanced in the medical field especially when it comes to spinal fusions. I had mine done at the age of 11 and I know many...reactionscomments
Preparing For Takeoff...Over the course of the last 5 years, I have had the opportunity to fly around the country. It had been some time since I had flown. I was going...reactionscomments
Transitioning to Adult Care...Something that’s rarely talked about in the SMA community is the process of transition from pediatric to adult care. It’s hard enough to find a good team of doctors who...reactionscomments
Preparing for Pregnancy When You Have SMA - Questions for You, Your Partner, and Your Doctor...Deciding to become pregnant as a female with SMA can be a very big decision. In my case, I knew I had always wanted to be a mom but I...reactionscomments
Removing Wisdom Teeth While Dealing with Respiratory Issues...Around the time I got my g-tube, I also realized that I was having problems with my jaw and teeth. After I had braces as a teenager, I never had...reactions1comment
Bullying on Social Media...Social media has opened up a wealth of connections and information to people all over the world and is an important access tool for people with disabilities who may be...reactionscomments
The Administrative Bent of People with SMA...Why we make great leaders, parents, and executives: If you were born in the last 40 years, there’s a good chance that you have taken some form of personality or...reactionscomments
Rare Disease Day...The last day of February is Rare Disease Day! To celebrate and acknowledge this important day in the rare disease community, we asked our advocates: What does Rare Disease Day...reactionscomments
The Expense of Maintaining a Power Chair...I know I have mentioned this before but it’s worth repeating. Having a disability is expensive. It’s one of the aspects of the disability that is probably not thought about...reactions1comment
The Misery of Accessible House Hunting...Searching for a dream home or apartment is a daunting task and even more so for a person with a disability. There aren’t any laws that mandate accessible requirements within...reactions1comment
Coming Up With A Treatment Plan...Recently this topic was suggested to me and to be honest, I have sat with my feelings on this for quite some time. If you are reading this as a...reactions2comments
My COVID Experience...You’ve heard the saying “the fear of the unknown.” I would not consider myself a fearFULL or pessimistic person however when COVID became the reality of the world, I had...reactionscomments
Stop Surviving and Start Living...Recently I just got over my second respiratory infection in two months. Thankfully I hadn’t been sick or needed an antibiotic in over two years. Every time I get sick...reactions2comments