I have been writing this blog since 2015 and things have obviously changed over the years. There was a time when my posts were about our kitchen remodel when Home Depot graciously gave us 'the kitchen' at cost in support of Russ and his Parkinson's. I had reached out to Ikea, Lowes and Home Depot; Home Depot made it a wonderful experience.
Since then I have written about building our ADA home, family memories, recipes and Parkinson's Disease. Today I decided it was time to print all the Parkinson's entries so I could read through our journey. My blog is just too hard to read or find old postings as I choose the free path and there is no index in Weebly Even if I were to upgrade there is no index, so I forward you if you are thinking about blogging, be sure to figure out your needs down the road.
I was shocked when I printed 130 Parkinson's entries which is almost 275 pages! They are bound in a notebook now and I will begin reading from 2015, though Russ was diagnosed in 2011 (2012?). The humorous part is what I said in 2015 is still true today and a part of our daily experience.
The years of entries tell me what I didn't know, I didn't worry about. Sometimes you are happier not know what is ahead. At one point a neurologist suggested we NOT go to a Parkinson's support group because we would see our future. She apparently felt we'd be happier not knowing the truth. But I am a Girl Scout...BE PREPARED! I want to know what we'll need to be successful at dealing with this terrible, no good, very bad disease as we advance. I am also a firm believer in muscle memory, having Russ try out equipment or patterns before they are necessary. As memory issues advance, this is even more important.
What I found humorous was the familiarity in the posts; the sameness. From 2015 to 2020 a gentle twist in severity and a subtle burble of change. The words and sentiments are the same year after year, but the emotional heart has become more intense. We have been successful in doing this journey wholeheartedly. We have been successful in our communication. We have been successful in seeking the kind of treatments, equipment and support we need. I'm proud of us!