Insurance Denials...I always hoped and wished for a day that we would see incredible achievements in the medical world for the SMA community. I never knew if I would be alive...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Uncovering State Programs...I have mentioned before that I was pretty lucky in the sense that I didn’t require much assistance for a good portion of my life. I never gave much thought...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Smart Independence...As an independent disabled adult, one of my fears is that I will be alone with a caregiver and the caregiver will have an emergency and I will be unable...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
An Open Letter to Newly Diagnosed Parents...If you are reading this, you have probably been recently told that your lovely child has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). You probably have had to sit through various appointments with...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
A Young Man’s Social Years...Every parent can relate to those years of watching your adult child living those carefree years after college, beginning their working careers. So now they have the income to enjoy...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
New Year, New Care...When the New Year rolls around, everyone reflects on the previous year and sets goals for the new one. For those of us with a disability, and more specifically SMA...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Thank You for Taking Our Survey!...We appreciate you taking the time to answer all of our questions. Your responses will help us better understand life with spinal muscular atrophy. New here? We invite you to...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Getting Christmas Sorted with SMA...As a 31-year-old with SMA, Christmas is always pretty exciting. Ever since I was little, I’ve adored the sparkle of December. But, as with anything else, SMA sometimes adds an...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
How My Elf On The Shelf Turned Into Something More...My daughter Stella is two and a half years old. Lately, Stella's development has revolved around exploration. Continuing to push her limits in her wheelchair, choosing (and demanding) her favorite...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Why is He in a Wheelchair?..."Why is he in a wheelchair?" If I had a dollar every time I heard that phrase, I would be rich. I am an extrovert by nature. I enjoy being...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Samantha Lackey...Samantha was previously an advocate on SpinalMuscularAtrophy.net. Samantha is a first-time mom to Stella, who has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1. She is an advocate for newborn screening and...
Top Tips for Hiring a PCA...Let’s begin with what a PCA is, and what a PCA is not. A personal care assistant should entail three things: Personal, Caring, Assisting I know those attributes seem a...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Managing Caregivers...When I was of college age, I was fortunate enough to attend a school that at the time offered a dormitory providing 24/7 care for those with disabilities. I was...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
A Conversation Between Myself and Heaven...One night, many years ago, before dinnertime, I was sitting at my kitchen table by myself and thinking about Jessie, who had SMA, and her deteriorating condition. Unexpectedly, all of...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Self-Care Routine...When I first began to read blogs and see posts about others doing their “self-care,” I remember my first thought: “Well I can’t do it “myself,” so it feels more...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Hiding Medical Equipment...Growing up, I never felt embarrassed or ashamed of the extensive medical equipment that was on display in my bedroom. A BiPAP, suction machine, air concentrator, cough assist, pulse-ox monitor...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
When Your Significant Other Becomes Your PCA...Suzanne and I met over 6 years ago. We both had an attraction to each other. Our friendship grew into a relationship. As we spent more time with each other...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The Freedom to Swim...Sometimes I just want to stand up and fling my arms around or jump or spin really fast until I’m dizzy and fall on the floor. It’s the feeling when...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)...I mentioned this program briefly before. This was extremely helpful to our situation when we first were introduced to it in 1995. The goal of this program was to assist...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Talking With Children Who Have SMA About Their Body...I remember being a child and having very bold discussions with health care providers regarding my weight. Their focus was a clinical view of my body. Remember you cannot gain...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments