Columns

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…

I was the only Asian-American on my college study-abroad trip to China that year. I couldn’t speak much Mandarin at all, but still, I could recognize the absurdity when a classmate suggested I hold up the sign we created that said in Chinese, “Please point us in the…

“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…

A few days ago, I found myself searching online for Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) memes. While my actions might seem a bit juvenile, I needed a laugh. I was also looking for some insight into the CMT community — this group of people to which I belong due to the nature…

In April 1977 more than 100 people with disabilities entered the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) office in San Francisco and, in protest, they refused to leave.  Three years prior, Congress had passed Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act…

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…

I remember being a moody preteen and exasperating my tennis instructor. He was convinced that I wasn’t trying. I was slow to react and sluggish on the court. I didn’t seem to be giving it my all. And, to be fair, he was right. I know I could have given…

“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…

“Referred mainly because of toe-walking.”  “Well, these few words solve a bit of a mystery for me,” I thought. A few weeks ago, I contacted my former pediatrician’s office to see if they had my old medical records. My folks have always kept good…

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…