A Family Tradition - a Column by Carlos Briceño

Recently, my wife, Jill, underwent testing for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and discovered that she has it. This was not shocking news, as readers of this column know. One of the questions her nurse practitioner asked was, “How did you live for 44 years without being diagnosed with…

Since her 2018 diagnosis as gene-positive for Huntington’s disease (HD), my wife, Jill, has made visiting family a priority. We drive together for shorter trips when we can because our 13-year-old dog, Baby Girl, travels with us. For the trips that are too far to drive,…

In a recent column, I wrote about the high emotional cost my wife, Jill, and I face by writing a weekly column about her journey being gene-positive for Huntington’s disease (HD). It doesn’t help that our daughter is also gene-positive. Jill wondered if our weekly column was…

A recent text message reminded me that just because someone has Huntington’s disease (HD) doesn’t mean it will cause their death. It also helped me better understand the importance of showing someone how much you love and care for them — especially when they’re not feeling well. The text…

I began this column about seven months after my wife, Jill, discovered she was gene-positive for Huntington’s disease (HD) in 2018. Every week since then, Jill and I discuss what I should write about, and this week was no different. As we brainstormed, Jill asked me a couple…

Shouting is a fantastic way to get someone’s attention. That’s why I propose we shout to get the attention of the U.S. Congress. Because May is Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month, my wife, Jill, who is gene-positive for Huntington’s disease (HD), came up with a video challenge to raise awareness…

Ever since my wife, Jill, was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease in 2018, grocery shopping has became increasingly difficult for her — that is, until she discovered the power of noise-canceling headphones. Here’s what makes shopping difficult for her: People constantly invade her space, make a lot of noise, and…

When I share with others that my wife, Jill, has Huntington’s disease (HD), I often receive a blank stare in return. Because it’s a rare disease, most people have never heard of it. When I tell them how terrible it is, they usually respond with expressions of sorrow. I…

The weather where I live in Maryland has been cold, gray, and rainy lately. A steady diet of warm, sunny weather remains a distant memory. The full glory of spring is on hold, as many trees and flowers have restrained themselves from blossoming into a full palette of colors. Days…

I recently shared with my wife, Jill, a saying I read in a store: “A smile and some kind words can really change someone’s day.” Jill smiled and said she knew the power of that saying because she had witnessed it years ago. The story she told me unfolded during…