Be Inspired! From Rock Bottom to UC Rock Star
I’m a big fan of questions. All my life, I’ve asked questions and looked for the answers. Sometimes I’ve found them, and sometimes not. What I now realize, after many…
I’m a big fan of questions. All my life, I’ve asked questions and looked for the answers. Sometimes I’ve found them, and sometimes not. What I now realize, after many…
You recently learned that your child has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Now you’re taking an important step: learning about the condition, how it’s treated, and how your child can learn…
Living in fear—I don’t know how some people do it. I’m not talking about the shrieks from bugs or snakes. God, both of them freak me out. I’m not referring…
Your child’s health care is important. Finding the right care is not always easy, especially when it comes to finding tuberous sclerosis complex care. Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a…
Lately, I've been thinking the three B’s of burgers, beaches, and cold beverages—my to-do list at the start of warmer weather. Along with outdoor fun, though, health and science experts…
Whenever I couldn’t perform to the best of my ability or follow through with a project, I would typically come down very hard on myself. One thing I am trying…
Some people can manage tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) with their doctors for years using a watch-and-wait approach until the last and best option—surgery—becomes necessity. By using the watch-and-wait method, a…
Did you ever hear about a pacu fish? Not me either. How about compression apparel? What’s that? Did you know sunglasses for dogs have been invented? Say what? There are…
June is hectic, with all those weddings and graduations. July is loud—firecrackers, political conventions, family reunions—and the humidity is stifling. But August, dear sweet lovely August? It might just be…
Who doesn’t like a good comeback story? Especially when it's about POTS? There are far, far, far too many challenges in life that can make a person come undone. From…
Having a difficult time finding resources on Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA)? Even for the generation that grew up with Google, keeping up with the news online can be tricky. You’ve got…
What is it about twins that's so darn fascinating? We idolize them when they’re famous (ahem, Mary-Kate and Ashley), and we envy them when we’re young (I know I’m not…
I want you to think about spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic disease affecting the part of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movement. Then, think about the word: DIGNITY. Dignity…
There’s one person I learned about today who has an admirable life mantra. The young man is D’Marco Jackson, and he lived with aplastic anemia (AA), but he succumbed to…
No matter how mentally flexible or strong you are, we all have a breaking point. Unfortunately, many of us tend to push ourselves as far as possible until we reach…
Siblings! We all have our opinions. Not everyone has that close unified bond with his or her brothers and/or sisters, but one thing is certain: If the connection is there,…
When you’re a parent, the childhood milestones are many. Flash, blink, bam—and then the rite of passage to adulthood starts. Yeah, I know… I flew through those first 18 years…
Anger. Who doesn’t get angry? From big to small stressors in life, there are far far far too many triggers to choose from that can set us off. But, what…
The transition from childhood to adulthood—the “coming of age” of boys who become young men and girls who become young women—is a significant stepping stone in everyone’s life. However, the…
A health crisis—just like epidermolysis bullosa (EB)—is different for everyone. But, most have one thing in common: Bad news blindsides us. We take a hit—a hard one at that. When…
Have you ever been lonely in a crowd? Have you ever been perfectly content all alone? Me too. And although it’s a little crazy to admit, I’ve also suffered from…
My girlfriend called me the other day—crying hysterically. I couldn’t understand her much, but it didn’t matter. I know she’s raising her first-born child with familial dysautonomia (FD). Problems related to…
Growing pains usually occur in younger children and are equally common in girls and boys. They are characterized by aches and pains and often occur in the lower limbs, usually…
Let’s talk kid-friendly. A slew of things may come to mind. With the warmer weather approaching, some may search for family-friendly activities. It’s an even better bonus when we find…
I remember reading the words of Evan Davis: “It’s not a bad idea to occasionally spend a little time thinking about things you take for granted. Plain everyday things.” Some…