You, Me & Mr P
Hi! I’m Katie
A ‘have-a-go’ blogger...
...who happens to be married to a lovely chap who happens to have Parkinson’s and dementia. This blog is all about what that means for us. For me. I hope it will help you if you are in a similar situation to mine. It can be a tough place to be sometimes, but please know that you are not alone. Join in the conversation.
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Euan was diagnosed in 2009 at the age of 52. Enter 'Mr P'. It was a shock, but not a surprise: by a cruel twist of fate, my mum had been diagnosed a few years earlier, so I knew the signs. I spent 2008 trying to convince myself that I was over-sensitised to Euan’s symptoms because of Mum, but I really didn’t like what I was seeing. Then, in mid-April 2009, came confirmation of my fears - and so our own particular journey with Mr P began.
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In the beginning, I didn't see myself as Euan's carer, I was simply a loving and supportive wife and partner. When we helped to set up the Ayrshire Young Parkinson's group in 2017, I still didn't feel like a carer and didn't see the need for a carers' group; but by 2019 I was registered as Euan's carer with DWP, such were the demands of the illness. Mr P has continued to march relentlessly on and in December 2020 Euan was diagnosed with Parkinson's dementia. Take a bow, Mr D. Euan can no longer get through the days and nights without my support. I am still a loving and supportive wife and partner, but I'm definitely a carer now, too, and that brings a whole new set of challenges, for us as a couple and for me in my own right.
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The idea for this blog came about when Chloe at Parkinson's UK Scotland asked me to contribute content to a session for carers at the 2020 Younger Person's National Conference - and suddenly I realised that my head and heart were full with thoughts and feelings and experiences and information that it might be helpful to share. The seed for this blog was sown.
So, I hope you enjoy walking this path beside me for a while, and perhaps find a little bit of what you need along the way.
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