It has been almost three months since I received my ankle-foot orthosis braces (AFOs), and I am finally learning to accept them. I have been wearing them almost all day and to all types of functions. They do help me walk better and decrease my typical fatigue levels. But as I…
I woke up and could barely get out of bed. My right hip was throbbing and the pain radiated through my sacroiliac joint (SI joint). The pain is caused by the bone graft that was done on my hip when I had a spinal fusion due to scoliosis…
Ever have one of those days when you drop everything you touch and trip over everything? That was my day recently. I even tripped over my students. I am a teacher and usually have no major issues with my Charcot-Marie-Tooth. It was a rough day, but thankfully my students were understanding…
There is so much conflicting research online about supplements that can help relieve the symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). How do I know which is valid and which is just hype? I have even asked my doctor, but he is not confident enough in this…
What keeps you up at night? For me, it’s recently been the idea of “run, hide, fight,” which is survival advice for when there is an active shooter. Those are scary words for someone with a disability. My disability may be “invisible,” but I won’t be invisible to a…
“Those who have known you for years love you for what is between your ears, not what is on your ankles.” A dear friend said that to me the day I was fitted for my first pair of ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) braces. I was, and still am, feeling very conflicted…
Do I want to go hiking with you? Yes. But the bigger question is, “Can I?” Will the path be steep? Is it narrow? Is it rocky? You see, these things scare me and make it difficult for me to attempt to hike, even if I truly want to join…
The other day, I went on a field trip with my fourth-grade class to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. We had to do a fair amount of walking from where the bus dropped us off, then we toured the building. When we returned to school, my…
Get regular updates to your inbox.