A Family Tradition
— Carlos Briceño

Aretha Franklin sang about it. Rodney Dangerfield joked about it by saying he never got any. The Boston Red Sox got it after finally winning the World Series again in 2004.

Do you recall the Apollo 11 mission that took place July 16-24, 1969? My wife, Jill, likes to remind me that she remembers reading about it in a history book. This summer, we…

My daughter recently graduated from college. As the date approached, my wife, Jill, and I grew increasingly excited. Jill became more focused on all the things that we needed to do. Jill is a…

When something attacks you, having a good defense to thwart the attack is an invaluable tool in staying alive. In some ways, because they both have been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, my wife,…

“In sickness and in health, until death do us part.” These words, which were part of our marriage vows, are a somber reminder of our mortality. But who wants to think about sickness and…

Learning how to balance life as a caregiver and husband can be delicate. I recently mentioned that my wife, Jill, and I attended a symposium for Huntington’s disease earlier this year. I learned…

I am a writer, and as such, I like to think of people as books. Either you are an open book or a closed one. Let me explain. My wife, Jill, and I have…

While talking about family illnesses with friends recently, I sat back and watched people discussing cancer, dementia, and myriad other life-altering conditions. Everyone had a story to tell about taking care of someone with…

My sense of time has shifted. Part of this change is age-related: I will be 55 this year. When I was younger, I thought about what the future might bring. My dreams seemed so…

I have very little knowledge about cars — how they work, how they run, and most importantly, how to fix them. I need to find someone who does know how to fix my car…

Here’s the scene: My wife, Jill, and I are at Jill’s work. We’re on speakerphone with our daughter’s friend, who is at a hospital almost 1,000 miles away with three other friends and Lou,…

My wife, Jill, who has Huntington’s disease, is doing remarkably well. Most people in her shoes would be falling apart, but she is levelheaded about having it, and many are amazed when I…