Diamonds across the water: A Huntington's Disease Story

    

     
      I have watched her fade for eighteen years.  Once vibrant, talented, intelligent and glamorous, now only a shell of her former self.  It was like she no longer had HD;  that the demon that was this disease had now left.  It had taken everything from her and now tossed her aside to die.  It had used her up and taken most of what the essence of her used to be.  A part of her had hidden away from the demon far inside herself;  the part that loved and felt passion, and I could see it in her eyes that still had that famous twinkle.  Her eyes were her best feature, no one could deny it, although I have to admit it was the second thing I noticed about her.  The first was her exquisite behind.  It was something I often joked with her about and she knew it was no joke but she found it charming regardless.
     I often sit with her now in the hospital just the two of us, mostly silent and I think of things now far past us but still relevant to this day.  Most of those things are often things that we never got to do, like go on a cruise.  She always wanted to do that but unfortunately for us the time had grown short.  She was never one for flowers but it was something I enjoyed getting her.  She would always accept them graciously but as they started to die she would always say what a waste of money they were and would ask me never to buy them again.  I never followed her instructions.  She did like jewelry however, even though she was allergic to costume jewelry and silver.  She was not allergic to gold for some reason, but she preferred costume jewelry regardless of her allergy.  She loved it.  She loved the boldness of it and the glitter.  When we were very young I wanted to get her a diamond necklace that was bold and way out there but that was simply a dream.
     We had our successes but that necklace was never going to be realized as there was always something to keep a rabbit's tail short and even if that weren't the case it was simply too much.
     One evening we were on the beach. We had just moved into our home and it was so still out. The tide was in full and there was not a ripple on the water.  The lights of Wolfville across the basin were twinkling on the water and we were admiring the beauty of it and I thought of that necklace.
     I told her that was her necklace.  I know that she never expected me to get that for her but I wanted to so badly.  And here it was right in front of me so I grabbed it and claimed it for her. It was hers forever.  She sighed and kissed my cheek.
     I told her today that she needed to get better so we could go and look once more at her diamond necklace on the water.
     She smiled and closed her eyes.
   
     Maybe tomorrow....