What Schrödinger’s cat taught me about living with Huntington’s

I never expected a lesson in quantum mechanics to help me make sense of my wife’s Huntington’s disease diagnosis. But over the past few years, as I’ve watched Jill navigate the unpredictable nature of this illness, the parallels between her journey and the famous Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment have become impossible for me to ignore.

Imagine a cat placed inside a sealed box with a radioactive atom that has a 50% chance of decaying and releasing a lethal toxin. Until someone opens the box and observes the cat, quantum indeterminacy suggests the cat exists in a state of superposition — simultaneously alive and dead. The outcome is uncertain until the moment of observation, when all possibilities collapse into a single reality.

At first, this seemed like an abstract puzzle, far from the realities of daily life. But after Jill’s diagnosis, the metaphor began to feel painfully relevant. Living with Huntington’s disease means living with uncertainty. Each day brings its own set of questions: Will Jill’s symptoms worsen today, or will she enjoy a rare moment of stability? Will a promising new treatment emerge, or will we continue to navigate the frustrating limitations of current medicine? The future is a closed box, its contents unknown.

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In our home, this uncertainty is more than theoretical. It shapes our concerns, hopes, and routines. Some mornings, Jill wakes up with energy and optimism, ready to take on the world. Other days, the disease asserts itself, and we’re reminded of the fragility of her health. We never know which version of the day we’ll get until we open the box, so to speak.

This is where the concept of superposition resonates so deeply with me. Jill exists in a delicate balance between hope and despair, between possibility and limitation. Her future, like the cat’s, remains unknowable until it unfolds. And just as quantum mechanics tells us that observation collapses possibilities into reality, I’ve learned that our collective support, advocacy, and love play a profound role in shaping Jill’s path forward.

But living in superposition isn’t just about uncertainty — it’s also about possibility. Despite the challenges, Jill continues to defy the odds. Her determination inspires me every day. Even as she faces the progression of Huntington’s, she continues to get up every day with the strength to continue to fight the inevitable, reminding me of the power of hope.

I’ve come to realize that hope is its own kind of superposition. It’s the ability to hold two truths at once: to acknowledge the reality of a devastating diagnosis while also believing in the possibility of better days ahead. Hope doesn’t erase uncertainty, but it does give us the courage to keep opening the box, day after day.

Note: Huntington’s Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Huntington’s Disease News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Huntington’s disease.