“The Pompe Community Diaries” is a series that follows the journeys, musings, and challenges of those in the Pompe disease patient community. This week, I’m introducing Katy Arvidson, who is the current Ms. Wheelchair Alaska USA. Katy is wheelchair- and ventilator-dependent because of Pompe disease. She lives in…
In my last column, as part of “The Pompe Community Diaries” series, I introduced 37-year-old Michael Thames, a behavior analyst from South Carolina who has Pompe disease. When he was younger, Thames was confident in his ability to be self-sufficient. But from the beginning of his training in…
The COVID-19 pandemic affected the treatment, as well as the physical and mental health, of people with Pompe disease, according to a recent survey of patients in 25 countries. More than 50% of respondents reported interruptions in enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and physical therapy, affecting their disease, and…
In some alternate reality, receiving my diagnosis of late-onset Pompe disease would’ve made all my problems go away. But in this universe, my rare disease is only one piece in the puzzle of my life. Six months before my diagnosis, our oldest son, Adam, passed away at age…
Every time I experience something scary with my 3-year-old son, Cayden, it really takes a toll on my mental health. While this is to be expected, it’s certainly not easy to deal with. I fell into a deep depression after Cayden was diagnosed…
Dealing with stressful situations can be hard for anyone, but I’m especially struggling because my 3-year-old son, Cayden, has been hospitalized since Aug. 5. In my previous column, I mentioned that he had to be intubated due to pneumonia. This has been very hard on me mentally. And because…
The first wave of COVID-19 in Europe severely disrupted access to care and raised stress and anxiety in people with rare diseases, negatively affecting their health and well-being, according to a survey conducted by Eurordis-Rare Diseases Europe. “People living with rare diseases in Europe have found themselves caught as collateral…
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