My moment comes every morning while drinking my second cup of coffee. This is the time when I check in with the world, look at emails and my other social media accounts, but the most important thing that I do is to check in with myself through journaling. It is amazing how just taking a few minutes to jot down often random thoughts can clear my mind and let me prepare for the day. I imagine my brain as a pressure cooker and journaling is the release valve that allows me to vent the excess steam before moving forward into whatever today might bring.

We have set up boundaries around this time that work well for both of us. We placed a desk in a spare bedroom so that I am close should he need me, yet he knows that when I am in my space I want to be left alone unless it is really important.  I write in the mornings which allows him the time to get through his daily tasks without me there watching, pressuring him to hurry up, or trying to help. He can still do most of these things alone and I need to stay out of his way and let him.

You will never, or seldom, find the same thoughts written here that are in my journal. My husband reads my blog, he doesn’t have access to my other writings. Just as he needs his time and space, so do I, and the journal is a safe place where I can say whatever I need and know that it will never go anywhere else. Venting hurtful thoughts and words before they explode out of my mouth helps me maintain and move forward to have a more positive day.

It isn’t often that I can say anything positive regarding my husband’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, yet it did finally force me to start writing. The words were always there, the release wasn’t. Chronicling the challenges I face on my journey as his partner, and sharing them with my husband has helped us communicate better and makes us a stronger team as we continue his battle with PD.

Journaling is my “coping skill”, for more information about coping with the challenges we all face as partners, check out this article Coping Skills for Care Partners on the Parkinson’s Foundation website.