Columns

When my wife, Jill, was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease (HD), our world shifted. HD is a cruel, inherited, neurodegenerative illness that affects movement, cognition, and emotions. It’s a diagnosis that forces you to confront life’s fragility head-on. For us, it also became a wake-up call — a chance to…

Some changes arrive quietly, like leaves shifting one shade at a time until the whole tree glows with color. Friendship has been like that for me: not a single dramatic ending or beginning, but a gradual reshaping. One day, I looked back and realized the landscape of my relationships was…

My family has a running list of sayings I’m officially banned from using at home. Apparently, tossing out cheesy phrases multiple times a day is grounds for an intervention — at least according to my wife, Jill, and our daughter, Alexus. But for this column, I’m breaking the…

The transition from summer into fall is beautiful, with cooler breezes, golden leaves, and cozy routines. But for someone living with Huntington’s disease, the change isn’t just about swapping flip-flops for sweaters. Seasonal shifts can bring real changes in how our bodies feel, how our moods flow, and how…

I never thought I’d be driving to work listening to the Kelce brothers interview Taylor Swift about her upcoming “Life of a Showgirl” album on their “New Heights” podcast. At 61, my musical tastes have been pretty set for decades: Give me some Bruce Springsteen or U2, and…

September has always signified a quiet shift for me. It’s evident in the crispness of the air, the softened light, and the way the days naturally fall into a steadier rhythm. Even though the calendar says the year is winding down, this month feels like a beginning. It’s not the…

Last in a series. Read part one.  Choosing genetic testing for Huntington’s disease is an act of courage on its own, as I pointed out in my column last week. But as my wife, Jill, discovered, the medical system’s maze can make it feel like an outright ordeal.

There’s a unique kind of pain that doesn’t come from having Huntington’s disease, but rather having to convince people the disease exists. Living with Huntington’s as a Black woman has meant constantly being disbelieved, questioned, and scrutinized. It has meant being invisible in plain sight. My journey with Huntington’s…

First in a series. When people ask my wife, Jill, about her Huntington’s disease, I never expect her reply to reach for a playground metaphor. But she has a way of drawing from everyday life, turning even the hardest subjects into something instantly relatable. “It’s just like a…

Life with Huntington’s disease often feels unpredictable and overwhelming. There are times when the emotional and physical weight feels like too much to carry. In those moments, humor has often been my saving grace — a source of comfort, distraction, connection, and identity. Yet like many tools we turn…