Party of 9 — Betty Vertin

A banner for Betty Vertin's "Party of 9" that depicts a large family walking across a field at sunset..Betty Vertin is a mother and writer living in rural Hastings, Nebraska, with her husband and seven children. Betty is a caregiver to three sons, Max, Rowen, and Charlie. Her oldest was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 2010 at 4 years old. The other boys were diagnosed with the same in the following year. Although Duchenne occasionally crashes the party, it has not kept her large family from celebrating and enjoying life. She writes her column in hopes of sharing her family’s experiences with others on a similar journey.

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The unbearable weight of grief that smoothes the jagged edges

I type my columns on Tuesdays, but I write them in my head in the days before. I consider what to write, how to begin, and the words to use to share my life experiences. My family is fun, and my columns often reflect that, to show the lessons I’ve…

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Columns

3 power wheelchairs are forcing the question — remodel or move?

I love my house and the home life my husband, Jason, and I have created. My family lives in a four-bedroom, two-bath, finished-basement, ranch-style home in south-central Nebraska. It was brand-new when we bought it, and we were its first owners. Jason and I had been living in a small…

Columns

A medical oversight brings caregiving changes in my home

The end of the year offered up two beautiful weeks with my family and very few responsibilities. We canceled pool therapy, had no medical appointments, the kids were out of school, and I took a break from writing. We spent 10 days at home, just us. It was exactly what…

Columns

Planning a ‘Krank’ Christmas and getaway with accessibility in mind

Navigating the holidays creates some logistical problems for my family. It’s not because there are nine of us. We might be a big family, but if we can all fit in our average-sized, ranch-style home, then we can fit in most homes. Having three power wheelchair users in the family…

Columns

The holiday season makes me regret not making my kids do chores

The holiday season is upon us, and I am already exhausted. I’m well aware of everything I need to do in December, so being this tired already isn’t great. It makes me think about the opening lines of “The Night Before Christmas”: “Twas the night before Christmas when all through…

Columns

I went from lifting 150 pounds to carrying the weight of Duchenne

I met my husband, Jason, when we were both student athletes at a small college in our hometown. He played football, and I was on the track team. Before we had children and settled into adult life, Jason and I enjoyed going to parties. We had so much fun together.

Columns

The week we ran out of our emotional ‘leftovers’

When I was a young mom watching my oldest daughter, Lexi, move from upper elementary to middle school, I often felt heartbroken and helpless. She was an excellent student and friend at school, but when she came home, her exhaustion could turn into crankiness, and it felt like she was…

Columns

We shout, ‘Not today, Duchenne!’ and Duchenne whispers back

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…

Columns

I’m giving everything I have for Duchenne MD — in my own way

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…


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