On My Own Two — Young Lee

Five years ago, I had a conversation with one of my writer friends. I had heard through the grapevine that she was working on a new story: a thriller featuring a protagonist with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT). I was surprised at her choice of lead character because CMT isn’t a well-known…

When I meet up with old college friends, we often spend time reminiscing. We recall late nights, trips, and past relationships. Looking back, we think about how much has changed in our lives; our careers, relationships, and bodies have altered a lot in the decade since graduation.

This past week, I grabbed lunch with an old friend, Kevin Schaefer. He writes a great column for SMA News Today. Our conversations over lunch usually revolve around nerdy topics such as the latest trailer for “…

About 10 years ago, I found myself walking down a busy side street near one of the larger night markets in Taipei, Taiwan. No direct family members lived there, and although I am ethnically Chinese, my Mandarin is extremely limited. In short, I’m what those in the Asian…

Once, while I was walking down the hallway with my classmates, my high school Spanish teacher asked me if I had hurt my ankles. It may have been the first time he had watched me walk. He then proceeded to walk ahead of my group to demonstrate my…

Charcot-Marie-Tooth. The first word is pronounced like “Shar-ko.” And it has nothing to do with shark teeth. That’s how Arlene, the protagonist of “Arlene on the Scene,” clears up the confusion related to her disease’s name.

I couldn’t help but smile when I saw Bernadette Scarduzio pop up in the final moments of Episode 3 of the sixth season of “Orange Is the New Black.” Her character has no dialogue, but she and her scooter are on screen long enough to make an impression…

The 2013 documentary film “Bernadette” was a milestone for Bernadette Scarduzio in many ways. It wasn’t just the first movie project she was a part of, it also was a coming out for her. The documentary marked the first time she came out as gay and her first time…

A few days ago, my sister messaged me on Facebook about a documentary regarding Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) called “Bernadette.” I hadn’t heard about it before, but because I had nothing else planned for the evening, I decided to check it out. It’s a touching film, but what struck me…

Until recently, I never had intentionally ventured to learn more about my disability. In retrospect, I was spectacularly uninterested in this aspect of myself. As a child, I think I felt like I inherently knew all I needed to know about Charcot-Marie-Tooth by merit of having it. I knew…

Topics such as setting goals and being more mindful have been on my mind recently. And that’s not by coincidence. A few weeks ago, I met with a friend who happens to be a licensed therapist specializing in marriage and family therapy. I had never talked with her about her…

My family members are traveling from around the country this week to gather for a celebration of my grandmother’s 100th birthday. We’re all excited about the event, and though I’m biased, I think my grandmother is a special woman worthy of a massive celebration. Standing at less than 5 feet…