For the first time in probably 20 years, I sit here at home on my own on New Year’s Eve. My husband left for work at 9.00pm and won’t be back till the wee small hours, so I won’t see him till next year!
It feels strange not to be seeing out the old year together, as we usually do. That said, I remember many years barely making it to midnight and a quick kiss and a ‘Happy New Year’ and straight to sleep. We’ve not exactly been raging into the wee small hours. We are more often than not at home together quietly and that’s OK. A few glasses of wine and each other’s company is really all we need.
2022 has been a good year. My Parkinson’s – apart from a small medication tweak – has been under control. I continue to have minimal symptoms as I head into my 3rd year of being a Parkies Person. I am grateful for that, but also mindful that this condition can change at any time and that we both need to make the most of life while I am reasonably fit and able.
2023 we have a couple of concerts we have already booked with artists we both love, one earlier in the year and one in November. In May/June we jet off to the UK to see family there who we haven’t seen for probably five years. Little people have been born and will have done a lot of growing by the time we meet them. We have exciting plans for our time in the UK, balancing spending time with family to exploring parts of the UK we haven’t been to together before. We will also be catching up with some friends but are trying not to over plan things and allow some time for spontaneity.
This time we are going to try not to overpack and take smaller cases. That will be a challenge for me. What shoes to take, springs to mind! We have taken out travel insurance too, as we always do, but this time with a new diagnosis, of course my insurance will be quite a bit more costly than my husband’s. However, it is well worth it. I can just imagine that any fall or other incident I might have – here’s hoping not – could be attributed to my Parkinson’s, when in fact I have no issues with my mobility at all at this stage. It is as wise to include it though, just in case.
With COVID a constant presence in the world now – I don’t think it will ever really be under control – we need to travel while our health is good. I only hope we don’t have a dose of COVID that might stop us going! That would break our hearts! This diagnosis has taught me to live for the moment mostly, to plan things like our big overseas trip early in the course of this journey. Who knows what another five years might do to my mobility and maybe cognitively? The next trip we are both likely to be retired, so an ‘oldies bus trip’ might be on the cards.
We will ensure that we build lots of time with family and friends into this trip. Making memories and reconnecting with those we care about is so important. So, as I sit here by myself listening to music and reflecting on 2022, it has been a good year. I am looking forward to 2023 and aim to do my best to make it a good year too. As long as I have my husband and my family’s support how could I not have a good year?
Farewell 2022.
Welcome 2023.
My journey with Parkinsons 