Excitement, apprehension, anticipation all can be used to describe going
to my first HDSA national convention. There is the feeling of
excitement and anticipation the closer you get to seeing people that
you know.Those that you know and love from "talking" to every day from
online. There is a great feeling of belonging when you get that first
hug. To be able to put the touch of that person in your heart and carry
it with you for the rest of your life, knowing they will be there for
you.

Seeing others so happy to be there, and the love you can feel in the
rooms the sessions are being held in. How you feel like others
understand what it is like to be at risk or a caregiver or someone with
HD. That for once people will be able to understand, what your heart
and soul goes thru and has gone thru ever since you found out that HD
would be in your life. Even the new people you meet feel like old
friends after that first hug or hello.

One thing that really stands out was something that happened at the
dance. There was a very small lady who has HD and she had been in a
wheelchair all day. When almost all were up dancing limbo I saw where
they had lifted the stick up so that she would be able to go under it
and still be able to go back in line again to go under. She was moving
so much, but I always saw her with a smile on her face. I saw her
hugging another pHD on Sunday before going home. You could feel the
love coming from them, and the joy from being there.

There is also all the feelings associated with seeing others who have
HD, and wondering if it might be your fate if you are at risk. I had a
really hard time getting thru a couple of sessions, especially the one
on depression and the one for being at risk. But I had others there to
help me thru the pain I was going thru inside of me, to hold me when I
just needed to cry, to laugh with me too. And to tell me that it was ok
to cry.

Even thou I had a hard time I would go again in a heartbeat if I had
the way. I loved being with othes who knew. Knowing that your accepted
helps to make part of the pain go away from what you go thru day to day
living with HD in your life. I would not exchange it for anything.