I am so thankful for the times my husband and I were able to go places, the vacations big and small that we took both before and in the early years of his diagnosis. I am thankful for all the things we did together, the adventures we had. I am especially thankful that we said yes more often than we said no, because Parkinson’s Disease has brought changes to our lives, and we would have missed out on so much.

Instead of feeling regret over missed opportunities, I am able to look back on warm memories. Whether it was trips to Hawaii and Moorea, or to a local B-n-B for a quick weekend away, I can revisit them in my mind whenever I need a break from the day to day. I recall swimming with sting rays, dancing to a live band at a local winery, soaking in a hot tub as snow fell around us. These thoughts always bring a smile to what may otherwise be a very difficult day.

My advice to anyone caring for someone who is newly diagnosed is this, live your lives as fully as you can everyday. Go now, do things while you both can, don’t put anything off. Take advantage of every opportunity for travel or for fun, they may not come again. And know that someday, perhaps sooner than you expect, this disease may take those options away. Experience life fully and store up those memories while you can, they will bring comfort when you can’t go and do anymore.