My husband is a very intelligent and accomplished man with multiple degrees and yet now, thanks to his diagnosis, it sometimes seems like I am talking to a child. His brain processes are slower and without the autonomic supports we all depend on, so all communication needs to be clear, concise and consistent. He struggles with what should be easy tasks and I find myself repeating instructions and using simple terminology as I try to help him figure out what comes next.

I often see this in our exercise classes. We have four different coaches that we work with on alternating days. They are all excellent instructors, but they also all do things just a little differently. There are basic moves we do in every session yet each of them has unique ways of cuing them. It’s great because it challenges my husband to use his brain and his body, but it can be frustrating too. I find myself stepping in, showing him the move that we did just yesterday. Once he makes the connection, he is usually able to figure it out on his own.

I know that none of this confusion is his fault, it has to do with pathways within his brain that can change from day to day. Thank goodness he still has the capacity to develop new neural networks that can sometime make it easier for him. And, I am working on being patient and communicating at a basic, yet still respectful level, as we navigate the reality of life with PD.