Jill was diagnosed with CMT 1A at the age of 2. She is a fourth-grade teacher and mom to a teenage son, who also has CMT. Jill loves photography, travel, and spending time with family and friends. She researches and writes tips that make life with disability a little easier.
It’s going to rain today! I can tell because the pain in my joints tells me. Does your body hurt when the weather changes? Can you feel that it is going to rain even before you hear the weather report? If so, you are not alone. Is there a scientific…
“Are those rattlesnake protectors?” I am getting used to the stares and comments about my ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), but this one kind of threw me for a loop. I just looked at the gentleman for a minute before I realized he was talking about my Arizona Braces. My not-so-thought-out…
Clothes shopping stresses me out! Stores and malls are not designed for those of us with disabilities, so I really dread visiting them. Due to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, I wear ankle-foot orthoses, which make trying on clothes 10 times more difficult. Often, the dressing rooms are small, so taking…
“Progress over perfection.” Someone said this to me the other day when talking about weight loss. I began to think about how this idea can apply to my life. I have Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and wear ankle-foot orthoses. In many ways, this makes being perfect nearly impossible. My gait…
I love summer, but I also hate it. I love the warmer weather and being able to be outside more, but that can be problematic for me. I have Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and wear ankle-foot orthoses, which make normal summer activities a little more difficult. I love the beach, but…
Some days, I feel overwhelmed by the symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), but I never feel like giving up. I know that having a disability or chronic illness can take a toll on one’s physical and emotional state. Lately, I have been seeing many people posting in online communities…
Last weekend, I realized how tough it is to do certain things due to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). It affects my balance, coordination, gait, and dexterity in my hands. That means that simple things like putting on jewelry or zipping up a dress can be frustrating. I have discovered a…
A lot of people on the internet are talking about the benefits of celery juice. Scores of people, including celebrities, claim to feel better after drinking 16 ounces of pure celery juice each morning. Some claim that it gives them relief from a variety of diseases and disorders. I decided…
The other day, someone posed the question, “What do you hate the most about having Charcot-Marie-Tooth?” I could probably write a book about what I hate about this disease. The same person also asked, “What do you like the most about having Charcot-Marie-Tooth?” That proved to be harder…
Why do people tell me they are proud of me for going to the gym? Is that something that I should be proud of? Yes, it is true that going to the gym and working out is not always the easiest thing to do, but does that make it a…
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