It’s a hard but true fact. A 1999 study published in the Journal of American Medicine said that family caregivers were 63% more likely to die at a younger age than their non-caregiving peers. Added to that is the fact that if the person we care for exhibits cognitive decline or dementia, then 50% of us are likely to die before our loved one does. Who cares for them then?

We all know the difficulties, the added stress of trying to do it all, the pain of watching as our loved ones deteriorate and, in some cases, forget who we are or why we are there. It’s an often impossible role we undertake as we try to buffer the world for them and alleviate their challenges. We come into this with the best of intentions but quickly learn just how difficult it can be and how unprepared we are for what their Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis does to us.

Moving forward, I am working to find ways to protect and nurture myself. I see my doctor regularly and follow all her recommendations. I exercise and eat healthy foods. I limit my activities to things I can do safely and try not to take too much on. When a task is beyond my capability or capacity, I seek help. I remember that we are partners in this journey with PD and that my care needs to come first if I want to be here to care for him.