The magic of grandchildren…

This weekend we have our three grand-daughters for a couple of days. It seems like ages since we have had them to stay due to a number of factors, such as my operation and COVID in their household. As with any teens and pre-teens, the girls love their smartphones and are frequently on their devices. However, theyContinue reading “The magic of grandchildren…”

A life to be proud of?

There is an old saying, “Pride goeth before a fall” which I guess infers that having pride in yourself is a bad thing? I’ve been thinking about the subject of pride for a few days now and trying to get my head straight about what I am thinking and why. It is sometimes challenging to get theContinue reading “A life to be proud of?”

To all you ‘carers’ out there…

Before I get into this post, let me say that I have a degree of reluctance to label those that support us as ‘carers’. To me, this takes away from the person’s identity as a husband, wife, partner or other family member who cares about us, but not necessarily identifies with the role of ‘carer’. IContinue reading “To all you ‘carers’ out there…”

Carers views vs PWP

This journey of ours that we travel on with Parkinson’s is a challenging one. There is no denying that. If we have family who support us or partners that live with us, it is a joint experience and each affects the other as we learn what Parkinson’s means for us all. I was reading a post inContinue reading “Carers views vs PWP”

Christmas traditions – How can we keep them up or amend them?

At this time of year as we head into Christmas my thoughts have turned to family. Not just my family but others too. Often there is an assumption as Christmas comes into view round the corner that everyone will have a happy day on Christmas Day. For those of us who have lost someone closeContinue reading “Christmas traditions – How can we keep them up or amend them?”

Not feeling particularly good right now

There are two dates in my life that I very much struggle with these days. One is 4/10 – the date on which my eldest son Adam passed away in 2020. The other is 3/11 – the date of his birthday. He would have been 42 years of age this Friday. I am finding itContinue reading “Not feeling particularly good right now”

Giving to others….

I suppose I have always wanted to help other people through my life, but my training and experiences as a Social Worker, have made this even more important to me. As I often say to people who have similar natures and find themselves in need of support, it is often the ‘givers’ who struggle withContinue reading “Giving to others….”

Limping into depression?

It is difficult sometimes to remain positive and to move forward in life with enthusiasm. I am in a place right now where I am struggling with so many unknowns in my life. The ironic thing is that my Parkinson’s is something that I am not too focussed on most of the time, apart fromContinue reading “Limping into depression?”

Grief never goes, it ebbs and flows

Grief is something that is ever present when you have lost someone close to you. In 2020 on 4th of October, my oldest son died in his sleep from an undiagnosed heart condition. This was a traumatic event for all the family and we will always grieve his loss. Two months later on 15th ofContinue reading “Grief never goes, it ebbs and flows”

Grief and Loss…

I was looking at the Facebook Page I follow the ‘Aust and NZ Parkinson’s Support Group and Chat’ and sadly there was a post from a husband whose wife with Parkinson’s (WWP) has just passed away. I offered my condolences and expressed the hope that the happy memories they shared over their lives would beContinue reading “Grief and Loss…”