Parkinson’s & Poetry
My husband, David, walking in Ireland. July, 2023
Over the past year, my family – like many around the world – has faced a number of substantial challenges. One of these has been that my husband, David, was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD). While this news is difficult, we also feel thankful to finally have a clear diagnosis.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, our family spent over a year trying to understand what was going on with David. First, we thought he might be suffering from depression (although David disagreed). Then, we thought perhaps he had suffered from a small stroke. Next, I wondered if perhaps he was struggling with burnout after his 30-year career as a clinical psychologist. Finally, after many appointments with various doctors, we got the PD diagnosis, and I am grateful for the excellent medical care he has received. David currently experiences six of the ten most common symptoms of PD (specifically, he suffers from #2, #4, #5, #7, #8, and occasionally #9 on this list).
The good news is that in the first six months since David’s diagnosis, we have learned several strategies that help alleviate his symptoms. This includes daily exercise, a special diet, taking medicine every day, and maintaining good sleep hygiene. By diligently taking care of his health in these ways, David’s symptoms have decreased, and he feels better than before. This summer, for example, we were able to go on a wonderful vacation to the U.K. David was able to hike, drive, and thankfully, his sleep wasn’t too bad on the road. We feel blessed that we finally understand what’s going on, and that there are concrete action steps we can take to improve his symptoms. After several scary months, we now recognize that PD is a chronic condition that can be managed over time.
Nonetheless, this has been a very tough year for our family. In some ways, I think it has been harder on me and our kids than on David, although he may disagree. It is difficult to see the person you love suffer. And, of course, it can be stressful to understand and navigate David’s new symptoms. In particular, I struggle with his quiet voice. David is already a very softspoken person, and I now often strain to understand him, even when he is standing or sitting only a few feet away.
Nonetheless, I am grateful because David is the love of my life, and, amazingly, we have grown closer during this difficult time. Next year, God willing, we will celebrate our twentieth wedding anniversary, and we plan to celebrate in style (more on that soon!)
In the meantime, I wanted to share a poem I wrote about David this summer while we were in Ireland. Although it’s a bit sappy, I try to capture a bit about how I feel about him.
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The Body is Not a Metaphor
I tried to tell you. But then, the
slope and wind and rain
and we were lost. We went to the hills
The Rocks – as if thrown by the gods – were
tossed into the sweet, green sea.
You are tired. I am tired, too, but also
rejoined. Renewed. Alive.
The body is not a metaphor
I am yours, and the quiet,
green earth is our blanket and
our sturdy sea.
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copyright, Kate H. Rademacher, 2023
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