Columns

In my early 20s, I went to see my general practitioner because I’d been noticing my dad having symptoms of what I thought could be Huntington’s disease. In hindsight, he’d been displaying cognitive signs for a decade, but now the physical signs had started to show. The doctor…

Throughout her journey with Huntington’s disease (HD), my wife, Jill, has taught me a great deal about resilience, love, and understanding. One of the most profound lessons has been her empathetic approach to conflict. Jill has a remarkable ability to step back and try to understand the other…

“Love and peace.” — Marjorie Guthrie’s signature sign-off on letters and notes Marjorie Guthrie was a dancer and teacher who started her own dance school. She also was the second wife of Woody Guthrie, an American singer-songwriter and visual artist who had Huntington’s disease (HD). I know the…

In a world full of negativity, positive reinforcement is a welcome practice. I’m lucky to be part of a family where it is encouraged and implemented. The process has shaped me into a better husband and caregiver to my wife, Jill, who is gene-positive for Huntington’s disease. Jill…

“Can they tell by looking at me how useless and weak and flimsy and [artificial] (and how foney) I feel?” — notes from Woody Guthrie, dated Aug. 21, 1952 Woody Guthrie was an American singer-songwriter and visual artist who was born in 1912 in Oklahoma. Though he inherited…

A neighbor recently told my wife, Jill, and me that her eyesight is getting worse, so she can’t continue reading, which is her favorite pastime. Jill told her about a column I recently wrote about audiobooks, noting that they had helped Jill with her own reading difficulties and…

“And my mother … that was a little too much for her nerves, her something.” This comment, made in 1940, was the first time American singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie had publicly alluded to his mother’s Huntington’s disease. Guthrie was born on July 14, 1912, in Okemah, Oklahoma,…

Watching my wife, Jill, give advice to people touched by Huntington’s disease (HD) during a recent online support group meeting reminded me of the importance of sharing wisdom. Knowing she’s gene-positive for the rare, terminal illness she inherited from her late father has given her the opportunity…

As an advocate and columnist for Huntington’s Disease News, I was excited to be chosen as a moderator for this site’s Community Spotlight. The initiative will highlight personal stories and raise awareness throughout May in honor of Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month. My role involved finding other people…

Huntington’s disease, a neurodegenerative condition, can cause symptoms that are often unpredictable and debilitating. My wife, Jill, who is gene-positive for Huntington’s, has provided me with valuable insight into what she feels by coming up with some impressive descriptions of it. Jill shared a poignant description…