my mom has huntingtons... my grandmother is in a nursing home slipping away... and its killing me.... My aunt ( my moms sister) has three kiddos, and my little cousin megan, shes 13....recently ran away..... my aunt DOESNT have HD...but she is a druggie...and it seems the black sheep of the family never contract HD............... my father is an alcholic and has hepatitisC... and is totally physco... my parents are divorced and i have gone through about 6 divorces ( 3 for my mom and 3 for my dad) My grades are slipping in school, and i have a 140 IQ, but i cant take the stress of dealing with school... I feel guilty and helpless that my cousin is having such a hard time, and running away... My mother, is disabled and on SS... and she cant seem to deal with all theses issues.....YES she is there for me.....shes the greatest mom in the world........and we are sooooo extremely close.... and it hurts so much to know she has HD... my little brother is only 7, and im worried about who will eventually care for him... I am a very blessed young lady, i have everything a girl could ask for material wise... and i am thankful for all i have, but the one thing i lack is someone who can relate, and help me. I love my friends.....and i always ALWAYS listen to their problems...and im there for them.....but when it comes to my totally screwed up dysfunctional family the cant help.........and i dont know what to do or who to turn to........ im on the erge of a breakdown......my dreams are crashing........i want to go to college... and i still make A's and B's........but im struggling more than i ever have had to in my life. im always the optimist and always happy and giddy and very outgoing....but i feel that that is slowly depleting too... i feel very alone and sad inside......and i have no one to turn to..........if you can help or offer advise......or tell me to shut up because im a whiny 15 year old girl.........i will greatly appriciate any input...... but please email me *at* trekster4ever*at*aol.com.........because im not too sure how to work the message boards
Bless All.......
-Shannon

Shannon, has anyone emailed you yet? I am so sorry that you have to go through this. It seems like in every family there is one strong person that others can depend on and in yours it is you. It's good to have this kind of strength, but you are so young and you need support, too. I can think of some possibilities including a school counselor and if you live near an HDSA chapter, there may be a social worker or at least an in person support group you can attend.

On line, you might try the Yahoo At risk club - they frequently have a children's/young person's chat, also HD Support, and the National Youth Association site. There are some really nice teenagers online whose parents have HD and I am sure you would benefit from chatting with them. Maybe a special chat can be announced.

Shannon

I am so sorry you are having such a hard time and feel so frustrated not
being able to help your cousin. You have a lot to deal with in your life and it's understandable why you feel like it is crashing down around you. Have you talked to the councilors at school or is there a teacher you respect that may be able to guide you to where you can find help? Since you are so bubbly and happy to the outside world, people may not know your heart is breaking and the issues you are fighting.

There are lots of other young people living with HD in their families, as Marsha said. I am sure most of them would welcome you with open arms and help you find some answers. You can find a lot of on-line HD related sites at
[www.geocities.com]

If you'd like, I can put you in touch with several members of the HD National Youth Association. Many, like you, are at-risk for HD and struggling with family problems while trying to maintain their own identities, going to college, etc.
There is one young-lady in particular I'm thinking about who, like you, is at risk but has gone on to pursue her college goals AND to be somewhat of a hero in athletic pursuits.Please write me privately if you would prefer talking to someone one-on-one.

Shannon you need to remember that YOU are the most important person in your life. You need all the support you can get in helping you stay focused so that you can reach your dreams!!!

You've reached out for help here........please keep reaching until you find something that answers your needs.

Love & HUGS
Jean

I am so sorry to hear about your problems. It's hard enough to be a teen-ager without this added stress. I have two sisters with HD and they both have kids. I have seen how hard it is for them to cope sometimes. Keep reaching out. Talking about your feelings with a professional is the best thing you can do for yourself. Ultimately you need to take care of you. Talk to your school counselor, he or she might be able to refer you to a good therapist. Good luck honey. You are in my prayers.

{{{HUGZ}}}
Donna

Dear Shannon,

My heart goes out to you. This is so much stress for you and I really would like to help in any way I can. My prayers are with you and you can contact me anytime if you'd like to chat. Warm smiles and hugs...Sunshine Cindy