As my husband will tell you, patience has never been my strongest virtue, waiting for anything is a challenge for me. So, of course, one of the dominant symptoms of his diagnosis with PD has been stiffness and rigidity which slows down everything we try to do. I get to practice my patience with this disease on a daily, no make that an hourly basis, and I often come up lacking.

Why is it that I remember my failures and frustration so much more clearly than my successes? I can tell you that I was short with my husband at least twice yesterday, for things outside of his control. Even when I don’t say the words, I know my body language can be unkind. What I don’t recall as well are the times when I smiled at him, hugged him and gave us the time needed to finish the task. I don’t remember when I waited patiently or planned extra space into our daily routine, knowing that it would be needed.

I have often said that I was put on this earth to learn patience. As we move forward in our journey with Parkinson’s, I believe that I am especially supposed to learn to be patient with myself. I need to remember that, just as my husband struggles with this diagnosis, I struggle with the role of CarePartner. It is different for each of us but can be equally challenging. I am always attempting to do my best, and that is all I can possibly do. While I may not always be the perfect Caregiver, I can still strive to be the perfect loving Partner for my husband and remember to give myself credit for doing that well.