I like most working men and women in Australia was conditioned to work until 65, it was just what you did. We were what you would call a typical family, mum, dad and three kids, we travelled with our kids, were involved in their sports clubs, watched them grow into the well balanced adults that they are. In 2008 my wife had a shoulder reconstruction and her recovery was a real hard slog, unusual for a woman who had been very active and healthy all her life. In 2009 I noticed some changes in her walk and stature that I could not attribute to her recovery from her earlier surgery, gently broaching the subject with Lorraine and suggesting we investigate further within weeks we had a diagnosis of Parkinsons Disease at age 47.
Suddenly you begin to assess your life and your priorities. Every Parkinsons sufferer has different symptons and the disease progresses at different paces, medications become a constant juggle. Short term our world was turned upside down not knowing what the future would hold.
Jump forward eight years and my employer of 23 plus years was sold internationally and I made the decision to retire at 56, we had planned for Sept 2018 so I was 20 months ahead of schedule. I did not want to work for my competitor of 35 years and Lorraine's Parkinsons had progressed to a point where she was nearing retirement as well, a decision she made mid 2017.
Has retirement been what we expected, yes and no, we've managed to do three short trips in the CT and one other we had pre booked before retirement.
We now enter the next phase as we we see the neurosurgeon this week to confirm dates hopefully for Lorraine to undergo Deep Brain Stimulation surgery for her Parkinson, in effect the treatment is two electrodes implanted into the brain with a rechargeable battery pack placed just below the collar bone which can be tuned to control her symptons, relieve the stiffness and muscle rigidity, reduce the involuntary arm,leg and head movements, stop the weight loss ( over 32kg ) and help with sleep. Often asked if she is worried about the operation, she replies yes, but I'm more worried about not having it and what the future holds.
Hopefully we will be scheduled in the next two months, we are thankful for private health as the public system only performs 6 of these operations a year. Recovery will be nearly three months and then there is the need for a total knee replacement which the surgeons will not do until the DBS has been performed. The next twelve months will curtail our plans to travel this great country but we will get there.
Humour and a great attitude have carried us through this and will continue to do so, we often reflect on the fact that in the same month Lorraine was diagnosed two of our friends were diagnosed with breast cancer, sadly neither survived.
Can we do everything financially that we wanted to do, no, but it doesn't really matter, we have a good family, good friends and will do the best we can with what we've got.
I suppose the reason behind this long winded story is to say no matter how well you plan, life will throw up challenges, you adapt, re-design, tinker at the edges and move on. We look forward to the next phase of our life.
Suddenly you begin to assess your life and your priorities. Every Parkinsons sufferer has different symptons and the disease progresses at different paces, medications become a constant juggle. Short term our world was turned upside down not knowing what the future would hold.
Jump forward eight years and my employer of 23 plus years was sold internationally and I made the decision to retire at 56, we had planned for Sept 2018 so I was 20 months ahead of schedule. I did not want to work for my competitor of 35 years and Lorraine's Parkinsons had progressed to a point where she was nearing retirement as well, a decision she made mid 2017.
Has retirement been what we expected, yes and no, we've managed to do three short trips in the CT and one other we had pre booked before retirement.
We now enter the next phase as we we see the neurosurgeon this week to confirm dates hopefully for Lorraine to undergo Deep Brain Stimulation surgery for her Parkinson, in effect the treatment is two electrodes implanted into the brain with a rechargeable battery pack placed just below the collar bone which can be tuned to control her symptons, relieve the stiffness and muscle rigidity, reduce the involuntary arm,leg and head movements, stop the weight loss ( over 32kg ) and help with sleep. Often asked if she is worried about the operation, she replies yes, but I'm more worried about not having it and what the future holds.
Hopefully we will be scheduled in the next two months, we are thankful for private health as the public system only performs 6 of these operations a year. Recovery will be nearly three months and then there is the need for a total knee replacement which the surgeons will not do until the DBS has been performed. The next twelve months will curtail our plans to travel this great country but we will get there.
Humour and a great attitude have carried us through this and will continue to do so, we often reflect on the fact that in the same month Lorraine was diagnosed two of our friends were diagnosed with breast cancer, sadly neither survived.
Can we do everything financially that we wanted to do, no, but it doesn't really matter, we have a good family, good friends and will do the best we can with what we've got.
I suppose the reason behind this long winded story is to say no matter how well you plan, life will throw up challenges, you adapt, re-design, tinker at the edges and move on. We look forward to the next phase of our life.
