Author Archives: Ari Anderson

As I reflect on 2024, I see that some great things have happened for me. I’m trying to figure out how to multiply those great things so they happen more often. This is…

Many things help me live with SMA, but light plays a special role in my life. There is actual physical light, such as from the sun, and then there’s the light of hope. I’ve written a lot…

Since July, my family has been converting the garage space in our new house into my own bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and medical supply room. We’ve faced one challenge after another as we prepare to move. Currently, I…

I bravely soar to meet the challenges of SMA with determination and a can-do attitude. But despite my positivity, certain things get me down sometimes. I feel discouraged whenever I think about how…

A great relief comes when you’ve been working hard to get through an obstacle and finally see progress. Perseverance is rewarding. In my case, SMA has given me many complicated challenges. As my mom, my…

A great relief comes when you’ve been working hard to get through an obstacle and finally see progress. Perseverance is rewarding. In my case, SMA has given me many complicated challenges. As my mom, my…

I’m now in a season of life when things that were once taken apart are getting put back together. In my previous column, I explained that after 29 years of living in our house, my mom and…

Back in July, I wrote about the small apartment my mom and I used to live in before we moved into a new home when I was 13. In the new house, I have a better bedroom and bathroom, my own kitchen, and a medical supply room —…

To highlight SMA Awareness Month this August, I could go on and on describing the physical aspects of my life that occur every day. For example, I could talk about the aggressive respiratory care my mom and my nurses provide me to keep my lungs clear. Or I…

On Sunday, I climbed another mountain, and I’m giving a prayer of thanks and saying, “Hip, hip, hooray!” Why? Because I had my 42nd birthday on July 7. It’s a high moment for me because I’m now 40 years beyond the life expectancy I was given as…