We Share More Than Parkinson's

Charlotte Allen

Just want to let folks know I don’t always have the ability to type comments on everyone’s posts, although I would love to.

Sometimes I respond to messages by voice, this is because I can’t type anymore.

My Parkinson’s is progressing slowly as is Russ’s too.

We manage though.

I forget things.

We are both getting slower.

Our dexterity is awful on some days.

I make the most of good days by cooking or working.

I start a sentence and can’t remember what I am saying halfway through.

Russ gets pleasure helping others at his support group Andy’s Man Club.

We have started to go to the local pub quiz on a Wednesday with our lovely neighbours and kind friends (mentally challenging ourselves) and seriously jeopardizing the end result! 

We manage to keep active by walking Tilly & Ole, our golden retrievers.

Dogs are our therapy.

We support each other. 

Some days we feel like 80 years old, and some days we are near to normal (what we remember and assume normal is like).

Yesterday I accidentally took Russ’s medication instead of mine, which resulted in a call to emergency services. 

Getting dressed is a challenge for both of us.

Movement and dyskinesia are a challenge for Russ especially.

He has had DBS, deep brain surgery.

Both of us suffer from toes curling under our feet (particularly Russ).

I have horrific cramps in my calves at night, which wake me up.

Life is tough in many ways.

We are a team. 

It has many benefits us being together both living with #parkinsons however…

It breaks both our hearts seeing each other deteriorate, slowly day by day.

We both are well aware of what lies ahead.

Life is twice as hard with Parkinson’s, please remember to be patient with us.

We like to be treated as normal. 

We know we are not.

People stare, but we don’t care, life just goes on…

We set ourselves goals, we are aware when we are beaten by Parkinson’s.

We take part & love life as much as we can though.

Include us, invite us, check up on us, ask us if we are ok?

It means a lot.

We love all our friends and family. xoxo

I chose this picture because it is the Real Us when we met.