Left to right: John, Cindy & father, John
In 1999, John’s second sister, Marcia, was stolen from us by Huntington’s disease (HD). She was 49 years old, had struggled with HD for 15 years and we had been by her side through those years.
On New Year’s Day, 2000, Cindy’s best friend called and asked John to take Cindy back to California to live with someone because HD was progressively rapidly. The next day, John jumped on a plane to Canada, packed Cindy’s stuff and Kayla, her dog, and flew back to California where she would live with her father.
The next week, John bought home a book to share. The book
was, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…..and it’s all small stuff by Richard Carlson, PH.D. John and I started reading a chapter a couple of times a week before we went to sleep. (Short chapters) Each chapter rebooted my brain to focus on the present, not the past or the future. #LiveMindfully
Author Richard Carlson comments about the book. Click here to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2MWSS_7KKI
We Can Never Lose HOPE…….
Watching Their Dance: Three Sisters, a Genetic Disease and Marrying into a Family At Risk for Huntington’s is available on Therese’s author website http://www.theresecrutchermarin.com and many book websites like Amazon
into a Family At Risk for Huntington’s
“That smell of coffee brewing in the morning, crawling into bed with freshly clean sheets, a warm hug from a loved one, that first, perfect bite of pasta…they always say it’s the little things in life that make a big difference and that has always proven true. You just have to see it and have the right vision. Open your eyes and witness all of the things around you that you have, be grateful and be thankful.
People often say that when you wake up in the morning, say five things your grateful for to yourself. By doing this, it will make all of the bad things, obstacles, or difficulties in your life not seem as bad. Looking at the greatness in your life, no matter how small, can truly make you feel more upbeat, fulfilled, and happy.”
I found this article on 
Over the years, I’ve often said Huntington’s disease taught me many lessons. The first and most poignant lesson that helped me live a meaningful, happy life AT RISK with John, was mindfulness………..a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
In order to maintain my sanity, staying in the present was key to enriching my life with John. Being mindful took practice and focus and some days I did I did it better than others.