Milestones…

Throughout life there are many milestones that we acknowledge and celebrate. Today was a milestone moment for our youngest granddaughter. Her sisters and I took her to have her ears pierced for her 10th birthday. Her Mum and Dad had told her that she had to wait till she was 10 – as had her older sisters – before she was allowed to have them pierced. It seems every year she ticked off the time to be able to achieve this milestone.

My granddaughter was very nervous about having her ears pierced but she was a trooper and actually coped very well. One thing that touched my heart was the reaction of her older sisters who are four years older than her. They too had had their ears pierced at age 10. Both sisters acknowledged that there would be some discomfort or degree of pain but assured her she was tough enough to cope with it. I was touched when she was sitting waiting for the piercer to ready her equipment that one of the twins asked her if she needed someone to hold her hand during the process. She nodded and reached out her hand. Her sister came to her side and held her hand throughout.

As is the case with many siblings, the girls don’t always get on wonderfully. That is just the way of siblings. This weekend the girls were amazing, caring for each other and sharing beautifully. The moment when the youngest was having her ears pierced was an example of how these older siblings will be there for their younger sister when she needs them. I can look back on my own childhood with three older brothers of the disagreements and times when they didn’t necessarily want their sister around. However, if ever I needed them to look out for me when others were hurting me or being mean they were the first to stand up for me. This is the bond of family and it is a precious thing. We can fall out with each other – as siblings often do – but when the chips are down or we are scared and needing reassurance we come through for each other.

So, it is with all the challenges we face as we age. I am the youngest of four siblings and I – as far as I know – am the only one with a degenerative condition. I know, however, that my brothers will be there not only for me, but also for my husband if he needs their support. When there are milestones like needing to have help at home or needing to use aids to walk around because my condition is worsening, I’m sure with one word from me, my brothers will be there if things are difficult.

There are many more milestones to look forward to in the lives of my family and I hope that I am able to be around to share some of the important ones. I would love to be around when the grandchildren find partners and perhaps have children of their own. I may be there to experience these things for the girls as they are older, but the boys being younger I’m not sure I will be around for the big events such as marriage or children but hope to share some milestones in the future.

My oldest grandson is at school and I was able to video chat him to talk to him about his first days at school. He is also a big brother to two younger siblings and is turning into a lovely big brother and I am very proud of him. His younger brothers are only 3 years old and 1 year old, so have a lot of growing to do yet. The youngest was just a baby when we saw him last and now, he is a toddler running around with his big brothers. It’s incredible how quickly they grow.

With the passage of time there will be more milestones and I hope to share them with my family, both young and old. I hope to see my grandchildren set on a career path and to be with someone who loves them. To find something that they can do for a career based on their interests, would be perfect.

It is my job to be the best that I can be to manage my Parkinson’s. To find a way to exercise and manage my condition to give me the longevity I need to be able to be a part of my family’s life for many years to come.

I hope that I can share many more milestones for all my grandchildren and perhaps even with their own children.

Only time will tell.