A Family Tradition
— Carlos Briceño

What happens when you mix the following events together: the war in Ukraine, climate change, rising gas prices, supply chain issues, and a pandemic? It’s a recipe for a rising tide of anxiety.

As everyone who reads this column knows, Huntington’s disease (HD) is a devastating illness for those who test positive on a genetic test. But it can be equally terrible for family members who test…

Recently, my mother-in-law invited her daughter, Jill, to be part of a Zoom call with a Huntington’s disease (HD) support group she belongs to. One of the guest speakers was Patty Conlon,…

Years ago, my wife, Jill, changed her approach to life. As she tells the story, she went from being an angry young woman to appreciating every second she spends on this earth. She was…

Whenever I share that my wife and daughter are both gene-positive for Huntington’s disease (HD), I usually have to explain what the terminal illness is — “Imagine combining Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS…

Earlier this month, my wife and daughter, Jill and Alexus, respectively, participated in a panel discussion about Huntington’s disease (HD). The topic was difficult conversations. Jill and Alexus are both gene-positive for HD, but…

For the past two years, in honor of Valentine’s Day, I have written a love letter in this space to my wife, Jill, who has Huntington’s disease. This year, instead of a Valentine’s Day…

My daughter, Alexus, recently spent about a month with my wife, Jill, and me, and the more time she visits with us, the sadder we get when she leaves. The weekend that she…

Two weekends ago, my wife, Jill, and I said goodbye to our daughter, Alexus, son-in-law, René, and their cats as they headed back home to Boston. Because remote work is now common during…

It’s not often that I see my wife, Jill, cry. She says crying makes her feel worse. As a result, she doesn’t stay sad for long and rarely sheds tears. She’s able to compartmentalize…

Family has always been important to my wife, Jill. However, she wouldn’t plan many trips due to concerns about travel costs. Jill’s attitude shifted after she tested positive for Huntington’s disease in 2018.

I tend to be more grateful these days than I used to be, and to help you understand why, I’ll share a little story. I’ll also list several reasons why I’ve been particularly grateful…