A memory reminds me I can be brave in the face of DMD
A couple weeks ago, as I was looking through social media, a memory from several years ago appeared on my timeline. I have three sons with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD): Max, 17, Rowen,…
Party of 9 — Betty Vertin
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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How my teaching job reminds me that I’m more than a caregiver
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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Why baseball is so important to this DMD family
Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, and we’re now officially in summer mode at my house. For our family, that means lots of baseball. I have three sons — Max, 17, Rowen, 14,…
Learning to journey on in the face of disease progression with Duchenne
He’s getting weaker. That’s the thought that keeps me up at night. Rowen, 14, the second of my three sons with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), is declining. Rowen has always been the weakest…
Embracing the season we’re in before preparing for the next one
The grass is finally green. Fragrance from lilac and other flowering trees fills the air. The fresh blooms brightly contrast the blue sky. These are all signs that spring has sprung and summer is…
Celebrating the mothers I’ve met on my journey with Duchenne
Every mom I know in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) community has a diagnosis story. When I meet a DMD mama, we often share those stories; it’s a way we get…
I still face typical teenage behavior, even if my sons use a wheelchair
My seven kids are my kids. That’s it. They all have strengths as well as weaknesses, challenges, and issues they must overcome. They also all have moments when they argue, talk back, get…
Celebrating milestones of DMD siblings brings mixed emotions
In a large family, there is always something to celebrate. I have seven children whose ages range from 15 months to 21 years old. Last week, we attended opening night at the theater, baseball…
Duchenne MD is all-consuming and painful, but beautiful, too
As I’ve tried to decide what part of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) to write about this week, I can’t seem to come up with the amount of focus necessary to do so. Instead,…
A tough call: Should our sons switch Duchenne clinical trials?
While very serious and sometimes grim, the prognosis today for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the best it has ever been. This is because so many new therapies are in the…
Watching my baby grow up around power wheelchairs
As a child, I wasn’t around people who used power wheelchairs. Perhaps because my sons were the first people I’d met who were living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), or maybe because…
To be a better caregiver, I need to prioritize my health, too
As a mom and caregiver to three sons with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), my focus is always on someone else, and I tend to slip lower and lower on the priority list.
Living in a rural area can be challenging for those with DMD
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…
