Columns

Do you recall the Apollo 11 mission that took place July 16-24, 1969? My wife, Jill, likes to remind me that she remembers reading about it in a history book. This summer, we will mark the 50th anniversary of the first humans landing on the moon. That may not…

My daughter recently graduated from college. As the date approached, my wife, Jill, and I grew increasingly excited. Jill became more focused on all the things that we needed to do. Jill is a planner, so she starts out by making lists. These lists are then accompanied by yellow…

The internet has transformed how we access information and learn new things. With the press of a button or a swipe on a screen, we can be instantaneously connected to limitless information about whatever topic is on our mind. This effortless accessibility can have both positive and negative consequences. Online…

When something attacks you, having a good defense to thwart the attack is an invaluable tool in staying alive. In some ways, because they both have been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, my wife, Jill, and our daughter are under attack. This disease aims to attack their minds and bodies,…

Many occupations are described as being the most difficult job in the world: Firefighting, mining, roofing in a heatwave. Yes, those examples are full of their own risks and challenges, but they are trumped by the roles we take in life that aren’t “jobs” at all. Parenting is an example,…

“In sickness and in health, until death do us part.” These words, which were part of our marriage vows, are a somber reminder of our mortality. But who wants to think about sickness and death on the happiest day of your life? In this column, I want to focus on…

Remember when people wrote letters? You know, when they sat down with an actual pen and let the ink roll out onto paper. Everyone had their own writing technique and style, their own spin on cursive. It’s a bit of a lost art in today’s technologically advancing world, isn’t it?…

Learning how to balance life as a caregiver and husband can be delicate. I recently mentioned that my wife, Jill, and I attended a symposium for Huntington’s disease earlier this year. I learned some valuable information that day, including that Jill may one day experience changes in the way…

Nobody is guaranteed a long life. Some people’s experience on this planet is going to be shorter than others’, even if they do everything they can to live a healthy lifestyle along the way. Having grown up with the dark cloud of Huntington’s disease (HD) over the family, I…

I am a writer, and as such, I like to think of people as books. Either you are an open book or a closed one. Let me explain. My wife, Jill, and I have so many things in common that sometimes I forget that we don’t have a few things…