“Can We Talk?...It’s Early!” (Part Three)
Read part two here.
It’s 3:17 a.m….again! Sorry to bother you; but the love of my life has Parkinson’s disease and, although it comes with many physical symptoms, the non-motor issues have me puzzled tonight as I am lying wide awake...again! Why are you up, if you don’t mind my asking? Because sometimes I feel like it is important to recognize the normal and talk about everything but Parkinson's disease - do you?
Go ahead, tell me
Could it be that your PD partner just jumped out of bed with a cramp? Or maybe mobility issues caused him or her to drop their meds all over the bathroom floor? No worries. It happens at my house all.the.time! I hope you find just the tiniest bit of comfort knowing that this 53-year-old-all-too-soon-gray-haired-mama-of-four is awake too. And I'm right here with you to pass the nightly "medtime" fluctuations that go hand in hand with people with Parkinson's.
We'll get through this night too...together!
Because believe me: you are not the only Parkinson's care partner awake at the moment! I am too! And, let me tell you what is going on over here at my house on Hott Mountain, WV. Tonight is a little different; and, frankly kinda sorta refreshing! It is not the typical painful encounter of a severe leg twisting cramp, nor is it the sudden violent outburst of a frightening nighttime visitor from a Nightmare on Parkinson's Street! Instead, I am finding myself awakened by an eruption of the most beautiful sound I have heard in quite a long time!
Giggles!
That's right! Just now a melodic roll giggles just fell across his pillow. It washed over to me like a fresh breeze entering the opened window on a cool summer night: GIGGLES!
My curiosity overtook me! At first, I was certain that there was a late night movie playing on the television where something funny just happened. Fearing I missed the joke and wanted to laugh too, I woke up to our dark bedroom when once again, it was like music to my ears: more giggles!
Just what in the world could be so stinkin' funny?!? I can hardly stand it! So, I wait for more; hoping that whatever is making him laugh will be remembered the next morning. And out of the blue and clear as the night time stars in the sky, he says, "That's funny!"
Wake up!
Actually, no. I couldn't wake him (even though my curiosity got the best of me)! He continued to enjoy whatever scene was playing out in his dreams. As I wondered what the joke was, I was thankful for this exact moment because for whatever reason, perhaps a good batch of clonazepam did the trick, he was finally resting and, apparently enjoying his sleep. For all the times PD gets the credit for disturbing the love of my life, tonight it all goes to something simple as a a happy dream that has him laughing out loud. I celebrate the small normalcy of this night and am thankful that he is pain free and I got to witness his peaceful slumber.
Your turn
Go on Parkinson's care partner friend, tell me. I'm not going to sleep anytime soon. What's on your mind at this hour?
Read part four here.
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