Columns

I Don’t Identify with the Word Disabled

I’m going to say something many people won’t like: I struggle with the word “disability.” In the eyes of society, I am technically “disabled,” but that doesn’t stop me from struggling with the term. If it isn’t illness keeping me in and out of the hospital (consistency is not my…

The Kind of Friend We Deserve

When I met Alexander, he was thin, his nose bled a lot, and he had tubes in his ears. I was a lonely first-grader fresh to Hawaii, and just as thin and malfunctioning as the brother I didn’t yet know. How could I ever adequately thank the teacher…

The Resiliency of the Human Spirit

Few phenomena fascinate me more than human happiness. So often we get caught up in the idea that we would be happier if so-and-so happened. I’m sure I won’t be the first to tell you that the grass ain’t always greener on the other side. This idea is known as…

Can We Talk About CF Pain?

We need to talk about pain. Growing up, there was a clear delineation in my mind: Cystic fibrosis (CF) could be painful sometimes, but it wasn’t a disease that caused constant pain. It was almost a mantra in my mind: “At least I’m not always…

I’m Worried Sick About My Family

At night I lie awake and I worry about you. I worry if you’ll drive home safely that night. If the ache in your chest is really a ticking time bomb, rather than a proton pump inhibitor problem known by most. I worry because I love, and I love…