My husband has good days and bad days thanks to his Parkinson’s diagnosis. On the good days it feels like we can do anything we used to do; on his bad days, I just want to get the basics done and get past it all. Unfortunately, we can’t know which type of day we are having until it is upon us and this means we always have to keep an alternative plan for the day ready, just in case.

Bad days can look like my husband’s disease is progressing quickly. The other day he seemed rather unsteady on his feet, does that mean that he is losing control of his balance? Do we need to start shopping for a walker? No, what I needed to do was stop and think. We limited our activities, waited and watched. Sure enough, the next day he felt better and more in control.

I used to wonder if it was something we were doing to cause the challenges but then I realized that this up and down happens to everyone with PD. It doesn’t matter if he has slept well or what he had to eat. It especially doesn’t matter whether we have plans or not, the good and bad days will come as they will. I just need to be aware of where he is and not overreact since I know that each day on this journey is distinctive and irreplaceable. I need to remember to treasure them all.