Kristin Neva,  —

Kristin Neva is an author, mother of two, and caregiver for her husband, Todd, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2010 when he was 39 years old. Knowing they would need family support, they moved to Upper Michigan and built an accessible home on property next to Kristin’s childhood home. Kristin enjoys spending time outdoors, especially on the shore of Lake Superior in the summer. Todd no longer has use of his limbs, but he stays active working on projects on his computer using adaptive technology. They try to find joy in the midst of sorrow as Todd’s health declines.

Articles by Kristin Neva

July 25, 2019 Columns by Kristin Neva

Defining The Relationship: We’re More than Our Roles

When I was brainstorming ideas for the name of this column, before settling on “Joyful Sorrow,” I asked my husband if he had any ideas. “How about ‘The Caregiver’?” Todd suggested. I dismissed it out of hand. He pushed back. “I think it’s a good name. It’s descriptive and it’s…

July 18, 2019 Columns by Kristin Neva

Embracing the Joyful Sadness of Life

This year for Father’s Day, I ordered a basket of gourmet caramel apples from Amy’s Candy Kitchen, a little shop in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Amy’s Granny Smith apples are large and covered with sweet caramel, salty pecans, or other nuts. It is an explosion of flavor, magnifying both the…

July 11, 2019 Columns by Kristin Neva

Faced with Incurable Disease, Fighting Is Winning

I am by nature a fixer. After my husband, Todd, was diagnosed with ALS, I found out modern medicine didn’t provide a cure. There’s no option for surgery. No drugs significantly improve outcomes. So, I turned to searching the internet for alternative therapies that might help. “I want to fight…

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