Here is a 23 year-old woman who is living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. She is a true inspiration to me and many people in the SMA community. She has a blanket charity and recently sent Nicholas a beautiful dinosaur blanket that he loves!
I’m Margaret but most people call me MJ. I’m 23 years old and I have Spinal Muscular Atrophy or SMA type 1+. My type of SMA is kind of subjective but basically it means that I don’t strength wise, fit nicely into a set criterion for type 1 or type 2. I’m stronger than most type 1s and have maintained the ability to sit up with support and am able to swallow solid foods. I was diagnosed with SMA when I was 6 months old but my paternal grandparents knew something was wrong with me around 3 months of age. My younger sister, Emma, also had SMA but lost her battle with SMA in March of 1992. 
SMA has been the cause of a great many of my triumphs and failures. I have been in the hospital for many months in the last two years but I still enjoy life. In the past year, I have had several surgeries and several complications. I have learned a great deal about myself and the medical profession through these experiences and it has made me a much stronger person.
I’m Margaret but most people call me MJ. I’m 23 years old and I have Spinal Muscular Atrophy or SMA type 1+. My type of SMA is kind of subjective but basically it means that I don’t strength wise, fit nicely into a set criterion for type 1 or type 2. I’m stronger than most type 1s and have maintained the ability to sit up with support and am able to swallow solid foods. I was diagnosed with SMA when I was 6 months old but my paternal grandparents knew something was wrong with me around 3 months of age. My younger sister, Emma, also had SMA but lost her battle with SMA in March of 1992. SMA has been the cause of a great many of my triumphs and failures. I have been in the hospital for many months in the last two years but I still enjoy life. In the past year, I have had several surgeries and several complications. I have learned a great deal about myself and the medical profession through these experiences and it has made me a much stronger person.While SMA is a major part of who I am, it is not my entire world. For the most part, I am your average 23 year old. I recently finished my undergraduate degree in Rehabilitation Services at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. I have a lot friends whom I love spending time with as often as possible. I have a very large family and we are, for the most part, very close. I enjoy volunteering for various organizations in the SMA community. I am the president of my own organization, B4SMA – Blankets for SMA kids, that makes and sends blankets to children (up to age 18) from around the world with SMA. I also design websites for Our SMA Angels – an organization dedicated to providing websites to families of children and angels with SMA. I enjoy designing T-shirts and making videos in my free time. I love to travel and have been to several states. One of my favorite yearly vacations is camping with friends on the ocean in Connecticut.
It has been an incredible journey over the last 23 years. I know that SMA has had a huge impact on my life as whole. I’m thankful for the people that I have met because of SMA. While I wish that I didn’t have to know the world of SMA and the people in it, I’m grateful for all of the experiences that I have had because of it. I love life and enjoy every minute!Visit the following websites to learn more about me and my life:
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1 comments:
What a great story! She's such an inspiration :)
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