Suck It Up Sunshine!

My life plan had to be altered due to my medical condition. I thought I'd marry my preschool sweetheart. I dreamed we'd have a boy and a girl, a golden retriever, and a white picket fence. I knew I wanted kids to be a part of my career from my early childhood. In my mid—teens I decided I'd like to be a child life specialist, providing play therapy to children in the hospital. When doctors diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia (a disorder that affects my balance and fine motor skills), my future plans took a turn into unchartered water. Life for me became more about living every moment to the fullest. My mind ran a mile a minute. Writing about my experiences, utilized my degree in psychology. I am ever hopeful my story would resonate in the hearts of people of all abilities. I dipped my toes in my creative juices, letting my emotions explode onto my computer screen. I wrote as a form of therapy, but soon realized I had the opportunity to reach more than a few family members and some close friends. Life tomorrow was never a promise, so ride the rollercoaster!

I grew up in the suburbs of Niagara Falls, Canada. I was the third child of loving parents and a little sister to two older brothers. I had an ideal childhood, playing softball in the summer, swimming lessons in the winter and making memories with my family.

At the age of fourteen, I was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative genetic disorder called Friedreich's Ataxia. My balance would continue to deteriorate. Life on two feet became uncertain.

Although the disorder interrupted my future, I would never let my spirit go. I would face my disorder head on with the grace and strength my family gave me because this girl won't go down without a fight. If I gave up in the face of adversity, life would be a disappointment!