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.
I’m more than a caregiver, but it took a recent life change for me to realize that. I’m a mom to seven children I share with my husband, Jason, including three of our…
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In my recent columns, I’ve shared several challenges we’ve faced in the past months of my family’s journey with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). My accessible van will be in the shop for…
I walked home from school today. I’m almost 45 years old, yet today, with my backpack on, my empty lunch container stuffed inside, and a sweater tied around my waist, I walked home from…
My life has recently been a whirlwind of activity. Now that the dust is finally settling, I’ve taken advantage of the relative quiet to take inventory of my family. An inventory of my family?…
My past two columns highlighted significant life events: my daughter’s wedding and my return to the workforce. I’m keeping that theme going today as well, noting my oldest son’s move into his…
I have seven children, and three of them are living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD): Max, 18, Rowen, 15, and Charlie, 13. If you’re a caregiver or a parent, I’m sure…
I’m officially a mother-in-law! That’s a new title for me. I’m a mom to the seven children I share with my husband, Jason. I’m also a special needs mom and warrior mama to my…
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) touches every part of my family’s life. Jason, my husband of 23 years, and I have seven children. Three of them — Max, 18, Rowen, 15, and Charlie, 13…
Wrestling videos were the soundtrack to my morning earlier this week. I was staring at a beige wall void of anything except a small white clock marking the time and the black screen of…
This week, one of my boys had to get an MRI. Three of my four sons — Max, 18, Rowen, 15, and Charlie, 13 — are living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (…
I often read social media posts from moms asking for safe and fun ideas for their children to enjoy during summer break. When my boys were younger, I worried about that as well. I…
“What can I do to help?” It was my husband’s answer to the long rant I’d just finished. I didn’t know I needed an answer, but his caught my attention. Beyond the weight of…
“I didn’t think you’d jump with us,” said my daughter Mary, 9, breathing heavily as she bounced from trampoline to trampoline. It’s true; I’d never taken her or her little sister Callie, 2, to…
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