Columns

Ah, spring has finally sprung. Plants are blooming, trees are budding, and the weather is warmer. As a result, my wife, Jill, and I recently decided to take advantage of the beauty exploding around us, along with the good weather, by spending the day in the nation’s capital, close…

Psychosis causes a person to lose a degree of contact with reality. According to the National Health Service, three main symptoms are linked to a psychotic episode: hallucinations, delusions, and confused and disturbed thoughts. As a 2019 Huntington’s Disease News article noted, “Psychosis is defined as experiencing hallucinations…

From time to time, my son-in-law, René, will ask me “when you were young” questions, usually to poke good-natured fun at me. Here’s what I mean: I was born in 1964, but if you heard what he’s asked me — such as, “Did you use an abacus instead of…

Huntington’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder, has affected several generations of my family. So far, it’s taken the lives of my dad, grandad, and great-grandmother. I tested negative for Huntington’s disease in the summer of 2023. In the early stages of my dad’s disease, my friends and I…

The United Kingdom’s Mental Capacity Act, introduced in 2005, states that a person is unable to make a decision if they cannot do one or more of the following: “Understand the information relevant to the decision “Retain that information for long enough to make the decision “Use or weigh…

Recently, as I sat on the couch enjoying the sound and smell of my wife Jill’s tea brewing, I thought about life’s simple pleasures. Normally, Saturdays are packed with all the chores and errands we didn’t do during the week, but not this day. The only thing on our agenda…

“My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent you doing well, and don’t regret the things it interferes with. Don’t be disabled in spirit as well as physically.” — Stephen Hawking  Huntington’s disease affected both my dad’s and my brother Gavin’s…

I’ve come to a realization that has impacted my viewpoint about the importance of voting and advocating for political candidates who prioritize healthcare. It was prompted by my wife Jill’s diagnosis of Huntington’s disease (HD) and the challenges we’ve faced navigating the healthcare system as we deal with…

“The waste of money cures itself, for soon there is no more waste.” – M.W. Harrison The cognitive damage caused by Huntington’s disease has strongly affected my brother, Gavin. It’s part of the reason he is unable to manage his financial affairs on his own. We saw…

Recently, I’ve found myself grappling with a complex mix of emotions. On the one hand, I’m filled with admiration for the incredible strength and positivity that my wife, Jill, exudes every day in the face of Huntington’s disease (HD). On the other hand, there’s a lingering sadness…