Okay, I’ll admit it, I have days when I just want to run away. I don’t want to see or hear anything about PD. I don’t want the responsibility of cooking, cleaning, yardwork, laundry, cats, dogs, and yes, sometimes even husband care. I just want a day filled with me, is that selfish?

After listening to my fellow CarePartners, I am beginning to realize that it is not selfish at all and it actually is a normal response in our situations. We are all facing things we never imagined as we watch our loved ones being impacted by this illness that we are helpless to stop. So, we put on our cheerful and loving faces day after day and do our best to support them even while watching their struggles with daily tasks. It is a daunting responsibility and takes a heavy physical and emotional toll.

My husband has good and bad days. If I am able to be flexible and pick one of his good days to play hooky, he will do just fine. I will make sure he has food for the day and that he knows how to reach me in the event he has an emergency. I might even put family members on alert, just in case, then off I go. My day away will give me the break I need while letting him know that he is capable and can survive without me. And tomorrow I will be refreshed and ready to face the challenges again. And, who knows, maybe we will both find strengths we never knew we had?