There are a group of us in my PD network who get together for breakfast once a month. It’s an unstructured gathering, no topics other than being a CarePartner for someone with PD which is always the elephant at the table. I sit at one end of the room with my fellow Partners, our People with Parkinson’s are at the other end so we can speak freely about challenges without upsetting anyone. What always amazes me is how different this disease presents in each individual afflicted, yet how similar all of our responses are when caring for them.

There is such a wide spectrum of symptoms in Parkinsonism and this small group represents many of them. Some of our loved ones have developed mobility issues and arrive sporting canes, walkers, even wheelchairs. Some have cognitive challenges including hallucinations and delusions. My husband has to deal with speech and balance issues. No matter how the disease presents, what all my CarePartnering friends express primarily is a sense of loss. It is actually a progression of little losses that continue taking away more of our loved ones each day. I see it as an impossible battle with an unrelenting enemy and all I can do is keep on fighting, hoping for the best. 

I am so lucky to be a part of this amazing group as we share our journeys with CarePartnering. I don’t know how I would make it through without them. I have found answers to questions about Parkinson’s Disease, about being a caregiver, about the household problems we all get to take over when our husbands are no longer able to do them. Most importantly, I am learning about self-care. The breakfasts themselves are positive and therapeutic as we come together to share stories of our lives. Our table rings with laughter, we leave the tears and fears at home. Belonging to this wonderful community of supportive women is the best tool I have in my CarePartnering kit, and I am so thankful for them every day. 

This group formed when a fellow CarePartner and I decided we needed a time to just get together and talk. The next month we invited two more to join us and then two more, I think you get the idea. If you don’t currently have a group, start your own. You won’t be sorry!