The Journey to the Truth
— Meagan Cheney

Last Monday, we skipped soccer practice for Austen, my 7-year-old daughter with Dravet syndrome. Soccer is a regular part of her routine. No one was sick, and the weather was nice. But I was exhausted, and all…

I wrote in my last column about how I have to allow life with Austen, my 7-year-old daughter with Dravet syndrome, to ebb and flow in keeping with her needs. This demand often requires me to put…

Jay-Z once said, “Don’t ever go with the flow. Be the flow.” And while I love Hov and his music as much as any self-respecting ’90s kid, that advice doesn’t always work when your child has special…

Not long ago, I wrote a column about how Austen, my 7-year-old daughter with Dravet syndrome, was doing in her new school. She’s gone through a lot of changes in the past year, including her parents splitting…

Back in November, I wrote about my 7-year-old daughter’s great accomplishment. Austen, who lives with Dravet syndrome, had set a new seizure-free record that seemed to be holding strong. But as it did last March, the flu…

When Austen, my 7-year-old daughter with Dravet syndrome, was born, I didn’t have many things in her life planned out yet. I didn’t know what school she would go to, what sports I would put her in, or…

In August, Austen, my 7-year-old daughter with Dravet syndrome, started a new school for the second time this year. When we moved to Texas from Colorado last winter, I put my children into the schools in our…

For most of her life until now, my 7-year-old daughter, Austen, who has Dravet syndrome, held the same record for the number of days she’d gone without a seizure. Dravet syndrome is characterized by frequent seizures that…

I just finished my first month as an official first-year teacher. There have been quite a few tears and even more smiles, along with hugs and meltdowns — by both my students and myself. But as I looked back…

Our family’s summer came to an end last week when Austen, my 7-year-old daughter with Dravet syndrome, and her siblings returned to school. It was a great summer, filled with swimming, exploring, and time for the kids to…

It’s been a long time since I’ve written — too long. But I have some amazing news to share. When Austen, my 7-year-old with Dravet syndrome, started having seizures, it put us on a roller coaster of doctor…