Life without HD
Has anyone ever sat back and thought about what life would be without Huntington’s disease in it, I don’t know that I have, but for this blog post I am going to imagine what my life would be like, or what I would have missed out on.
Imagine what it would have been like having a ‘’normal’’teenage life, not caring responsibilities, not being worried this disease would take me or my brother. Being able to go visit my dad and have a cup of tea like normal people do. Heading out on the speedboat and away for the day like other families do!
So I have written a blog post before about how much I appreciate Huntington’s in my life, to some extent, obviously, this disease is taking my father from me so I hate it, but at the same time it I think many doors to me. Check out my Thanksgiving post
So if Huntington’s was not in my life, Ithink I would have gone to high school, got better grades from there and not have had to repeat a year, this then would leave me doing my A-levels a year earlier than I done. Many people don’t know this but I actually got accepted into Oxford Brookes University to study primary education, as I wanted to teachprimary school, after discussing it with my mum we didn’t think it would bepossible. Living over in England in that area is really expensive and with mum the only parent earning a wage I wouldn’t have the safety net of my parents. Of course I would get a job but money was always a worry. When I declined that offer I decided I wanted to join the army and I headed for some meetings for that, sadly due to the Huntington’s disease my medical wouldn’t pass. I wonder if Huntington’s disease wasn’t in my life would I have joined the Army.
When I began travelling in America that was me hooked, I never wanted to be here in Ireland, mum would call me bum and the suitcase was never too long in the attic until I was getting it down again. If I didn’t have the responsibilities of looking after daddy maybe I wouldn’t have stayed in this country. Thinking about that makes me sad though because if dad wasn’t sick, we wouldn’t have made such a big deal about bringing him on the 50th Lough Erne boat rally and I might not have met Stephen. I couldn’t imagine my life without him. My brother was amazing and looked after dad while I went to America in 2012, 2013 and 2017 to work at an amazing summer campteaching water skiing and wakeboarding.
It’s hard to imagine what my life would have been like, I could be in the army or living in another country or maybe is what away like I am now enjoying my life with Stephen, maybe I would what would exactly what I did do and graduate university.
Organising my first fundraiser for HD iswhat got me interested in events, that first event is what made me want to choose my degree. So whatwould I have studied? I had five choices for University, one being events andthe other four being medical based. Would I have chosen a different degree?
Huntington’s disease has opened many doors to me, check out my Thanksgiving Day post for the reasons I am thankful for Huntington’s disease.
I have volunteering experience which looks really impressive on my CV and I have done many events, public speaking and training events, all things in my life, which without HD wouldn’t have happened. I have another big announcement that without HD, it wouldn’t have happened. I don’t know if I can announce ityet, but as soon as I can you will all be the first to know.
So I guess I’m trying to say, don’t wish you had a different life, just because HD is in it, try making the most of it.
I HAVE A CHALLANGE!!
Comment 2 things that HD has brought into your life in a positive way !!
Mine are;
A massive HD family across the world
A career !!
Merry Christmas