The changes that PD has brought to my husband have been slow and subtle. It isn’t like one day he was able to run a marathon and the next he was stumbling, it is like one year he walked 2 miles and then a year later it was only 1. The tremors and the stiffness all invaded him gradually. I struggle now to look back and see when it all really started but do know that this slow decline began long before his official diagnosis. It is no wonder he may not have always been aware of the challenges because they crept up on him so slowly.

So, how do I support him when he is not aware or accepting of all that is happening? The first thing I need to do is be sure and communicate with him. Knowing that he has Parkinson’s and that it can bring a wide variety of changes helps somehow. When I see him doing something out of his normal, I can call him on it. It may not be easy to talk about, he may deny it at first and it may take more than one conversation. Once he accepts that the challenge exists, we can be open about whatever it is and usually blame it on his diagnosis. Then, we can look for a solution.

Sometimes the solution is simple acceptance, other times it may involve an intervention or professional help. The most important thing I need to remember is that Parkinson’s Disease has brought these changes and new challenges to our lives, it is outside of his control. Then I simply need to find patience and understanding to make sure we can both live our best lives everyday.