This thought especially applies to the jobs around our house. I know that it bothers my husband that he can’t do the things he used to do and yet they still need to be done, so I do them. But he follows me, and watches me, and directs me, which sometimes leads to conflict. I try to be patient because I know his oversight comes from the frustration of having to accept the limitations of Parkinson’s Disease. Unfortunately, patience is not always in my toolkit.

We are scheduled to walk in a 5k fundraiser for our local Parkinson’s program today. After my husband had DBS surgery, he can no longer walk long distances. For the first time, it looks like we will be doing the 1k version of the walk. I know that he will be disappointed that he cannot complete the longer walk and I am feeling guilty that I still can. Do I go ahead and walk with my friends leaving him to wait in the park? Or, do I take the shorter walk with him and then come home?

Feeling guilty about my capabilities doesn’t make his losses better. Instead, I need to be thankful that one of us can still do tasks around our home and get them done. As to the walk, I think that I will play it by ear. If he has friends he can visit, I will go ahead and do the 5k. If, on the other hand, he will be waiting alone, I will join him in the 1k and come home. There will be opportunities for me later, today I need to be there for him.