Columns

I’ve been seeing a lot of articles on the importance of self-care. Self-care involves looking after your mental, physical, and emotional health. Self-care is not a new concept, but it seems to be increasingly popular, maybe because people are becoming more aware of the mind-body connection. As a…

September is CMT Awareness Month, and my social media feeds have been flooded with inspirational quotes and infographics related to Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT). It’s rare that one of these posts gives me information I hadn’t heard before, but one infographic caught me…

September is Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Awareness Month, a great time to bring attention to this little-known disease. I have CMT1A and wear ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs). Many of my family members suffer from the disease, as well. However, there’s more to us than our disease. To educate others about CMT, I…

“Maybe there will be others at the conference who will commiserate with me,” my sister said as we sat among our bags at gate B6 in Detroit’s Metro Airport. Despite being prechecked by the Transportation Security Administration hours earlier at John Glenn International in Columbus, Ohio, my sister…

Apparently, magnesium is the latest miracle substance. It can supposedly help with many different ailments, from muscle pain to anxiety and sleeplessness. This makes me wonder whether it can help with the symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT). Magnesium plays an important role in how our bodies work. Among other…

September is CMT Awareness Month in the United States — a dedicated time to share and educate others about Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT). CMT is one of the most commonly inherited neurological disorders, affecting approximately 1 in 2,500 people in the U.S., according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders…

My memories of physicians first explaining the details of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) to me are hazy at best. I remember something about nerves, and of messages having difficulty going from my brain to my extremities. I remember not feeling weak. But I also remember that the folks poking me and…

“Chongxi.” It’s a Chinese term referring to the superstitious custom of trying to erase a misfortune by overriding it with a joyous event or feeling. I stumbled upon this phrase a few weeks ago when my parents and I were listening to an episode…

I love fall and the start of the new school year. It’s when I return to teaching and readjust to a routine of work, school, and activities. But summer’s end can be overwhelming, and even more so with a disability. I have Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and am finding some aspects…

For the first time, I posted a picture of me with my cane and braces on social media. And guess what? No one even noticed. This is a big deal. I talk about Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) and my ankle-foot orthoses, but showing the world is scary. People can be cruel…