Party of 9 – a Column by Betty Vertin

My oldest son, Max, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in 2010, when he was 4. The doctor told us to expect that he’d need help with all of his activities of daily living in his teens and that he would die in his early 20s. Max turns…

Last weekend, my husband and I cleaned out our storage unit. My husband loves that unit, while I feel like we need one so that we don’t accumulate too much stuff around the house. We started renting it two years ago when we were hosting our oldest son’s high…

We are on the brink of November, and it’s beginning to turn cold here in Nebraska. My husband and I are debating whether we should turn the heat on. I say yes. He says no. Each morning before school is a frenzy as we search for jackets our children can’t…

Moms worry about their children. As a mother of seven — Lexi, 24; Max, 19; Chance, 18; Rowen, 16; Charlie, 14; Mary, 11; and Callie, 3 — I know firsthand what it’s like to be anxious and concerned about kids. My children’s ages span 20 years — another thing to…

Mondays are one of my favorite days of the week as a busy mom to seven children: Lexi, 24; Max, 19; Chance, 18; Rowen, 16; Charlie, 14; Mary, 11; and Callie, 3. I’m also a caregiver to Max, Rowen and Charlie, who all live with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

One thing I love about living in the Midwest is enjoying all four seasons. The last week of summer is nearly over, and autumn officially begins next week. On a walk yesterday, I noticed the first leaves changing and drifting to the ground. Another thing about me is that I…

I expected today, as this column is published, to be long and exhausting. I’d been scheduled to drive to my central Nebraska home from Denver, then help the marching band perform at halftime of the high school football game. I’m a mom to seven children: Lexi, 24; Max, 19;…

I spent part of this week with three of my sons in Denver. On Wednesday, they had a clinical trial appointment, followed by an appointment at the assistive technology clinic to try out some robotic arms. In anticipation of the latter, I began to reflect on my sons’ journey…

For years, I told the kids we couldn’t get another dog unless something happened to the two we already had. I did not want three dogs! I didn’t have room for that! Yet we now have a new puppy. My life is bursting at the seams most days, given that…

August here in Nebraska is sweltering. Not only do the temperatures reach the high 90s, but the humidity is suffocating. I’ll never understand why our kids return to school at this time of year, when it’s so uncomfortable outside. But as I write these words, five of my children have…