Party of 9 — Betty Vertin

I don’t want to miss a thing. Yes, as I typed that, I sang the Aerosmith song in my head. It’s the soundtrack to my husband Jason’s favorite movie, “Armageddon.” But more…

Life is lived in seasons, at least here in Nebraska, where we experience all four of them. Some days offer nearly perfect weather: The sun is shining, the temperature is in the mid-70s, and…

I am a competitive former college athlete married to a someone who is equally competitive and also was a college athlete. We like to win and try to position ourselves in ways to make…

When three of my sons were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy more than 10 years ago, I shared everything we experienced on social media and found support and understanding. But as they grow…

Pulling into a parking spot at my oldest son’s high school, I hit a parked car with my van. Thankfully, there was no damage to either vehicle, and the car’s owner, sitting in the…

I do too much. You might assume I’m talking about caregiving because you’re reading a column written by a caregiver. And in part, you’re right. But mostly, it’s an admission that I’ve…

I love to read, but finding time to sit down with a good book can be challenging in my busy house. As a mom to seven and a primary caregiver to my three sons…

One of my favorite early-summer memories is from when my sons Max and Rowen were younger. Both lovely little boys — one blond-haired and blue-eyed, the other dark-haired and brown-eyed — squealed with laughter…

There is joy after a diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). There is joy after the loss of ambulation. There is joy in the midst of watching Duchenne slowly work its progressive,…

When I stopped working at a job away from home in 2007, I never imagined it would be a permanent change. I was pregnant with my third child, Chance, who is now 16, and…

I forgot how scary hope can be. There was a time, a few short months, when I realized I was giving up. I accepted that Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) would continue to progress…

“The stages of Duchenne.” I remember seeing this heading on many of the websites I obsessively read when I learned that my three sons, Max, 18, Rowen, 14, and Charlie, 12, had Duchenne…