My husband and I have been hosting holiday celebrations for decades and our family knows what to expect, or at least they did. Now that my husband’s symptoms are progressing that may not hold true. For example, they may not understand that he can still participate in a conversation if they slow it down and give him time to respond. They may need to know ahead of time that PD makes him unsteady, and he occasionally falls. Should he fall, they need to know to leave him be and let him get up on his own. It might be nice to let them know that he fatigues easily so if he drops off, he’s not being rude, he just can’t help himself.

Of course, before I talk to the kids, I make sure my husband is okay with it all. And, if possible, he should be part of the conversation so he can answer any questions they might have. I don’t want to be a buffer between my husband and our children, I just want to make sure everyone is on the same page so we can enjoy our time together.

Finally, I am going to revisit holiday plans and see if there aren’t ways to simplify them. We are definitely going with fewer people, only 5 or 6 at any given time. Smaller groups are easier for him to handle and allows us both to engage more fully. This may mean we see different parts of the family at different times or some maybe not in person over the holidays. We can always connect in other ways. And, there will be time reserved just for the two of us before, during and after the holiday rush so we can both recuperate from all the fun we’re having.