At the dinner afterwards, a person approached me to tell me that we had parallel lives many kilometres apart. It was Francesco, from Italy, and in an amusing mixture of Italian-English-Spanish (i.e. language was no problem) we gradually went into our respective lives in depth.
Our wives, with a reasonable physical resemblance, were diagnosed with the disease, how our day-to-day life was, the concern for our children, but above all, the similar way of approaching the respective situations we lived through. All of this sparked a spark of friendship.
Attending the Congress made me feel very accompanied, knowing that I was not alone in this situation. I was talking to many people who were eager to share. It allowed me to learn first-hand about all the advances in research by the laboratories and that gives us hope and excitement for the future.
Talking openly, openly, sharing fears, experiences, anecdotes, exercise, laughter and dancing helps a lot. Squeezing the heart always pays off.
Getting away from your usual environment for a few days allows you to see things in a different way, from a distance, and to relativise many of the situations we experience.
Huntington’s disease takes a lot away from you, but it also gives you other things.
I want to nurture and preserve these special bonds with great affection.
At the next EHA in Congress Bucharest in September this year we will enjoy them again.
If you are hesitating to attend, don’t hesitate. I’m sure you’ll be thankful you made the decision.
Javier Lafuente
