This journey with PD has been so difficult because there is so little that we can control, especially as the carepartner. I am a control freak, freely admitted, and it has always been a joke in our relationship. My husband gets it and puts up with it, unfortunately Parkinson’s Disease doesn’t.

Neither of us can control when he has good days or bad days. I can’t speed him up or make his movements easier. I can’t take away the aches and pains associated with stiff joints. I can’t stop the tremors. All I can do is recognize the uselessness of my attempts to control it all and let it go. And, remember not to complain to him because he is not able to control it either.

This is a lesson that I am still trying to learn so that I don’t become frustrated with him when my real adversary is the illness itself. I need to remember that in this shared journey, there will be battles I can fight and others that I need to step away from. I need to do my best to always maintain a positive outlook especially when things are difficult for us. As I learned a long time ago, I must learn to control my own reactions to the challenges we face and let go of all the rest. I can be a supportive and loving partner in this journey as long as I remember that we walk side by side and I am not leading the way.