“I am also praying for you, my beloved partner. God has a miracle breakthrough for your life.” Mike Evans
“For me, a dream partner is someone who is willing to learn and to put their trust in me.” Derek Hough
Précis: This blog post is dedicated to the Care Partner for any person-with-Parkinson’s (PwP) or just a partner if one is without Parkinson’s and reading this blog post. The Care Partner is unique in many ways because they “have Parkinson’s.” They are living the disorder right alongside the PwP. The Care Partner is watching and sensing any microscopic change as the PwP’s life evolves. Throughout it all, they see one’s off-on periods and feel the positive-negative moments. And they are by your side today, here and present.
“Happiness is having a dream you cannot let go of and a partner who would never ask you to.” Robert Breault
The Care Partner Must Plan for Themselves: Since Parkinson’s is a chronic and progressing disorder, the role of the Care Partner will change and evolve as the symptomology of the PwP changes. Thus, the Care Partner needs to be aware of what’s happening to adapt. The Care Partner must fully evaluate their career and life and make the necessary adjustments. None of these decisions will be easy. Learning about Parkinson’s is an excellent place to start.
“When you struggle with your partner, you are struggling with yourself. Every fault you see in them touches a denied weakness in yourself.” Deepak Chopra
The Care Partner’s Caring Will Progress as Does the PwP: With time, the treatment strategy for the PwP will not work (as well as early in disorder), and their symptoms could emerge. With such changes, the PwP may become depressed, apathetic, or both. Cognitive changes in the PwP will challenge the role of the Care Partner. For example, the PwP may not be fit enough to drive a car any longer, increasing the burden on the Care Partner.
Stress on the Care Partner could increase due to the reality of the PwP’s situation. Keeping your PwP safe is a significant problem for all. And again, the Care Partner must manage their resources and make sure they do not become depressed or overly anxious. The Care Partner is now a lifeline for the PwP.
“The most important career decision you’ll make is who your life partner is.” Sheryl Sandberg
The Actions of the Care Partner Now Merge to Manage Two Hearts and Brains:
•To sum it up, the Care Partner is a warrior, able to protect, help, and care for the PwP.
•Furthermore, the Care Partner is a life manager, able to lead their life with dignity.
•Ultimately, the Care Partner is a leader, able to make decisions at a moment’s notice for the continued health of the PwP.
•Many cheers to the Care Partner, for they are the glue that holds everything together.
“He definitely does what a partner is supposed to do, that is, evolve you.” Erykah Badu
Led Zeppelin: There are many rock bands that I can name that I like a lot. But there was only one Led Zeppelin, and they are (were) my favorite. When the library of Led Zeppelin songs was released on CD ROM, I bought it the same hour it was available. I was able to see two Led Zeppelin concerts (the 1970s) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with pictures and other material obtained from this site: https://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/lsu-assembly-center-february-28-1975
“If the sun refused to shine, I would still be loving you. When mountains crumble to the sea, there will still be you and me.” Thank You, Led Zeppelin
The Rain Song, Led Zeppelin: Perhaps the most romantic song ever written by Led Zeppelin, has almost poetic lyrics (written and sung by Robert Plant). Furthermore, alongside the lyrics, possibly the most poignant guitar notes accompany it with music composed and guitar by Jimmy Page. And, as always, musically, the best sound backing them up from John Bonham on drums and John Paul Jones on bass/keyboard. The Rain Song was from the Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy album, released in 1973.
This is Robert Plant’s idea of a love song, using the changing seasons as a metaphor for the changing emotions of love. Starting with spring, “It is the springtime of my loving / The second season I am to know.” From there to summer, “It is the summer of my smiles / Flee from me, keepers of the gloom.” To the cold of winter, “Hey, I felt the coldness of my winter / I never thought it would ever go.” A summary of the seasons is, “These are the seasons of emotion / And like the wind, they rise and fall.” And an ending with some rain, “This is the mystery of the quotient, quotient / Upon us all, upon us all, a little rain must fall / Just a little rain, oh, yeah.”
Well, it’s not Shakespeare. It’s Led Zeppelin going about as deep as they could go with the meaning of a song. It ends as a positive testament to love and its healing properties. And through it all, happiness emerges from the seasons of pain to the seasons of hope and love.
Musically, the song showcases an utter mastery of the guitar by Jimmy Page. Throughout the song, the soothing sound of his guitar comes and goes. It is simply one of his finest efforts. At the same time, John Paul Jones plays a synthesizer with one of the earliest uses of synthetic violins in the background. John Bonham, usually driving their sound, used brushes in the song’s studio version.
“You are the sunlight in my growing / So little warmth I’ve felt before.” The Rain Song, Led Zeppelin
Video Versions [my favorite is the second one posted of Jimmy Page and Robert Plant in an acoustic version backed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra (and the nod at the end by Plant to Page says it all)]:
“More marriages might survive if the partners realized that sometimes the better comes after the worse.” Doug Larson
The Rain Song by Led Zeppelin, Lyrics:
It is the springtime of my loving
The second season I am to know
You are the sunlight in my growing
So little warmth I’ve felt before
It isn’t hard to feel me glowing
I watched the fire that grew so low, oh
It is the summer of my smiles
Flee from me, keepers of the gloom
Speak to me only with your eyes
It is to you, I give this tune
Ain’t so hard to recognize, oh
These things are clear to all from time to time, ooh
Oh, oh
Oh
Talk, talk, talk, talk
Hey, I felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought it would ever go
I cursed the gloom that set upon us, ‘pon us, ‘pon us
But I know that I love you so
Oh, but I know
That I love you so
These are the seasons of emotion
And like the wind, they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion
I see the torch
We all must hold
This is the mystery of the quotient, quotient
Upon us all, upon us all, a little rain must fall
Just a little rain, oh, yeah
Oh, ooh, yeah-yeah-yeah
“The only thing we can depend on in life is that everything changes. The seasons, our partners, what we want and need. We hold hands with out high school friends and swear to never lose touch, and then we do.Change is the only constant. Your ability to navigate and tolerate change and its painful uncomfortableness directly correlates to your happiness and general well-being.” Amy Poehler
Journey with Parkinson's 