Andy was not a tyrant by nature but his illness made his continuous needs and requests of me feel tyrannical. When Andy’s abilities were being challenged and compromised by his disease, I was therehelping with everything as it came up. Unintentionally we became caught in […]

I’d say again, “He’s doing fine.” I learned that part of being a caregiver was becoming the spokesperson for the patient. Of course, sometimes that made sense and flowed easily, but often being asked countless times to give updates about the one you are caring […]

Our experiences have led us to explore various healing practices that not only supported Andy but also benefited me as his caregiver.  As a reluctant caregiver for my extremely disabled husband, Andy, for almost seven years, I experienced firsthand the intense demands and emotional toll […]

Dad is looking at our Mom’s face as she takes the photo. He is breathing with one transplanted new lung as he begins his new life. Last week, I shared what was entailed in writing my book, Your Wildest Dreams: A Parkinson’s Love Story. I […]

I write by hand on lined notepads and I happen to be left handed which I always considered to be a good omen. It wasn’t hard to write Your Wildest Dreams: A Parkinson’s Love Story, but it took a really long time and that could […]

Years ago, Andy and I sold something we called Spirit Lifters. They were small plaques for one’s wall or desk that we made with a decorative welded bronze mandala paired with a quote done in calligraphy.  One of the quotes we used was from Joseph […]

One of the amazing aspects I’ve experienced as a caregiver choosing honesty over being nice, is that honesty with a purpose leads us back to being nice. In a life without a chronic disease challenge and in relationships that don’t require a caregiver role, I […]

 When one is a caregiver ‘making it right’ is different from actually changing the situation that is unfair into one that is fair. I wondered, “How does one deal with the anger that can happen in a patient/caregiver relationship when feeling like life isn’t fair?” […]

Our garden has always been our work in progress and so it is with my own healing. I’m getting there. I have to do a bit every day and only pay attention to my own timing. When I hurt myself in a pretty awful skiing […]

All lives go through times of discouragement and hard news and it is then that we can turn to the very small things that bring us joy and allow them to lift us up. Parkinson’s is such a long disease…once it begins it goes on […]