We went for a drive to a local resort for lunch recently. We were only gone about two and a half hours and planned so it was between medication times. We had to bring along my husband’s walker, but otherwise it was as much of a PD free experience as is possible these days. The weather was perfect, the drive was beautiful and lunch went well. There was even time for a short walk around the grounds. As I mentioned, we were back just in time for his next dose of carbidopa levodopa and a nap. It was such a nice visit we’re considering returning and spending a night.

Some days it truly feels like we’re immersed in Parkinson’s Disease. If my husband’s pill alarm isn’t going off then it’s time for him to exercise or do his speech practice for the day. We are surrounded by reminders of his challenges, the transfer poles in the living room and bedroom, grab bars in the bathrooms and door handles throughout the house. All the modifications we’ve made to our home to make it more livable are great but also keep us grounded in his diagnosis.

It can be difficult for me to see the man I feel in love with amidst all the requirements of his treatment. Leaving all the trappings of PD behind gave us both the chance to be someone different. On that one day, we were able to revisit our earlier selves and connect in a different manner. Even for only an hour or so, it was well worth the effort and I think we are going to have to do it more often while we still can.