If you think adulting is hard, wait until you are empty nesting. My wife, Jill, and I have a daughter who lives in the Northeast. Five years ago, she graduated from high school and went to experience college life at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We are proud of…
A Family Tradition - a Column by Carlos Briceño
The last few weeks have been somewhat trying for Jill. She has been plagued with giant hive welts. They cover her arms, legs, and torso. Sometimes her lips or eyes will randomly swell. She jokes, “People pay a whole lot of money to have puffy lips.” She hasn’t been able…
One of my recent columns was about the Huntington’s Disease Society of America’s annual convention. I participated in a few groups over Zoom because I have to be involved in every step of the journey. We have known about this conference for years because Jill’s mother tries to attend…
Columns
The Simple Joy of Taking a Walk
We live in Illinois, where the weather can be unpredictable. Some days we have perfect weather — 70 degrees and sunny — followed immediately by snow. We may not see the sun for days. When we moved here, we quickly discovered that you have to enjoy the beautiful days…
Columns
It’s Not About You, Caregivers
I am messy. I’ve always been messy. My desk at work looks like an explosion of papers. I love to read, so it’s not uncommon for my bedroom floor to have books scattered like leaves on the ground on a fall day. I also tend to buy the same product…
The Huntington’s Disease Society of America held its annual conference in early June. Like many events these days, it was virtual, which made it super convenient to attend. I watched several sessions, including “Preparing for the Change That Will Come” and “Support Group for Caregivers.” I like to have a…
Columns
The Real World Is Precious
On May 21, 1992, MTV aired the first episode of “The Real World.” The introduction to the show went like this: “This is the true story of seven strangers picked to live in a house, work together, and have their lives taped. Find out what happens when people stop…
Columns
A Caregiver’s Biggest Lesson
I have pink eye. Again. And I’m extremely happy I got it. I’ll get to why in a moment, but first some background. For the third time since March, the whites of my eyes are red and watery with occasional discharges that result in some crusting on my eyelashes.
If you’ve ever experienced an allergic reaction to something, you probably understand why the root word of misery comes from the Latin word “miseria,” which means wretchedness. My dog has been in a state of misery for the past two weeks due to an allergic reaction. We don’t know…
Reality bites. That was the name of a 1994 romantic comedy movie starring Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke. It’s about four recent graduates finding out how difficult life can be when searching for a decent job and true love after college. In pop culture, that phrase eventually came to…
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