First of all, this begs the question, what or who is a carer? A carer, by my definition is someone who cares. Someone, who often puts other’s needs before their own and sometimes to their own detriment. I’m not necessarily talking about caring in a practical hands on helping with daily tasks kind of way – though that may come – I’m talking about someone who is there for me in so many ways.
My husband is the most caring of people I know and shows it in so many ways. We have always been a tight unit, not needing a large group of friends as we have each other. But now, with this diagnosis and a somewhat uncertain health future for me, I am concerned this may cause him to be isolated. He is someone used to his own company and happy to be so. But this journey could be a rough road sometimes and not just for me.
I want my husband to have the support he needs, so that he never feels alone in this challenge we both face together. But, this can be difficult when we both work and support groups are often during the day. We have never been great ‘joiners’ and this will be a challenge for us to link in, even if groups are available, especially for my naturally rather introverted husband. The complete opposite of me, who is more outgoing, but we balance each other out!
So, my mission is to seek out support, not just for me, but for my husband, who cares so much for me, so that he can have the support he needs long before outsiders start to label him as my ‘carer’.
My journey with Parkinsons 