Party of 9 – a Column by Betty Vertin

Nebraska does have big cities. Well, it has two big cities. And the truth is that Omaha, our largest, is smaller than places like Denver, Los Angeles, and New York. If you have not read my column before, we live in Nebraska, a rural state in the middle of…

Three boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), plus one mom, plus three clinic days equals much preparation. On Tuesday, the four of us left our home in Nebraska to drive to Denver for the boys’ neuromuscular clinic visits at Children’s Hospital Colorado. When my boys were younger, getting…

I hope my columns haven’t sounded repetitive lately. I know I’ve mentioned more than once that my oldest son with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Max, fell and broke his leg almost four weeks ago. But I continue to learn, adjust, and come to realizations that inspire my column. In…

Life feels a little messy right now. It feels like I have no control. As a full-time caregiver to my three sons with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and a mother to my seven children, my days are often timed down to the minute and centered around their schedules…

The past week has been difficult. Our oldest son with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Max, fell last week and hurt his leg. In the past several days, we’ve figured out how to dress him and help him in the shower and restroom. He was doing these tasks independently or…

I have three sons with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD): Max, 17, Rowen, 14, and Charlie, 12. Rowen stopped walking three years ago at the age of 11, after he fell and broke his lower leg. Of course, we did everything we could to encourage fast healing, as we…

Most days, my husband, Jason, and I take our kids to school in the same van. It’s an excellent time to be with them before school, and I get a nice 10-minute date with Jason after dropping off Charlie, the last of the kids to exit. I was especially…

We had a snowstorm last week that left us with 10 inches of snow after just a few hours. It still looks like a winter wonderland outside. My children had two days off of school as a result. We played in the snow and made cinnamon rolls and ice cream…

Birthdays can be challenging for parents of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). When our children were diagnosed, we were given a life expectancy. And as our children turn a year older, it’s a reminder that we’re closer to the number doctors told us when they…

Before three of my sons were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), I didn’t know what I didn’t know. After that, my learning curve went straight up. I still needed to learn the amount of advocacy work it takes to be a parent to a child (or…