Living With HD

By Heather Pratt

Some of the suggestions I have for living with HD are:

• Keep life simple - Rest, Exercise, Nutrition, A daily laugh
• Carry earplugs with you when you are out (Some people with HD are sensitive to noise)
• Carry calendars with you to write down everything you must do for the day and any information you get from other people
• Develop a message centre in your home, so other family members have an idea where to look for stuff
• Use an answering machine so you can rewind the tape and recheck those messages (One of the symptoms of HD is transposing numbers)
• Use sticky 3M note pads to keep your place in cookbooks - also works in crochet or knitting patterns
• Use one color of paper for phone messages
• Have a check-list on the front door so you can make sure you have keys, etc.
• Rewrite recipes so they have a numbering system (1. Cut vegetables, 2. Spray pan, etc.)
• Try to do the same task on the same day of each week (Wash on Tuesday, etc.)
• Get a watch with an alarm clock and set the alarm to remind you to catch bus, leave for doctor's appointment, etc.
• Listen to relaxing music

Transcribed to HTML by Renette Davis with permission from the author, Heather Pratt. Send comments for Renette to: rd13@midway.uchicago.edu and comments for Heather to: nstn6731@fox.nstn.ca

Last updated: Jan. 4, 1977

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