Mary Ann and I have been married for over forty-three years now. For twenty-two of them she has had the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. As anyone who has a spouse with a chronic disease understands, both have the disease. There are no longer just the two of us, but three, Mary Ann, Pete and the Parkinson’s. Since we can’t make the Parkinson’s go away, we have to decide what place it will have in our journey. Rather than fight it or concede to its rule, we simply live meaningfully and fulfilling lives in its company. With that said, there is nothing easy about living meaningful and fulfilling lives in the company of Parkinson’s or any other chronic disease for that matter. This blog intends to provide some practical tools for dealing with the daily challenges of chronic disease, as well as some ways of understanding the task of caregiving that nurture the spirit.
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June 14, 2009 at 7:26 pm
i love your attitude and description above. i have a relative with alzheimers and have recently come to same conclusion regarding living meaningful lives in company of alzheimers. thanks, diane
August 30, 2009 at 6:51 pm
How inspiring … incredible ministry to all of us as we face life’s battles. Thank you for sharing. Mercy, like goodness, follows all of us in life because of God’s grace. You remind us all that God is our strength through all of our journey. We are delighted to know Denis and Lisa and your lovely granddaughters — a great gift to our church family. My mother died 10 years ago and lived her last five years with Parkinson’s. We understand the toll it can take on the caregiver and family. Blessings to you and Mary Ann and may each day hold special happiness and momemnts of remission from the debilitating disease of Parkinson’s. In our prayers, Karen & Leroy
August 31, 2009 at 2:56 am
Thanks for your comments. We are pretty proud of Lisa, Denis and the girls — just sad that they live so far away from us. Having been through Parkinson’s with your Mother certainly gives you an appreciation for the ups and downs that come with it. We appreciate your prayers.