For my daughter [View All]

[AutumnMist]

I had responded in a very short paragraph several days ago about what I was going through for both my

husband and I. I am not sure at this point that I can express the emotions that I feel or I go through. I

can only hope that the "fog" I feel will lift, and it has today. No sickness and no limitations.


I was 35 when I was diagnosed with Parkinson's. It truly was the very last thing that I could imagine

coming out of my neurologists mouth. I sat there stunned, with a smile on my face because I couldn't erase

it. I wept when my five year old daughter was in the back seat in her car seat as we were coming home from

the doctors appt. There she was and here I was facing my life. I was her mother confronting something that

I never expected and couldn't understand. I have a vivid memory of me glancing up in the rear view mirror

when we were driving through downtown Columbus, Ohio. She smiled. And I thought to myself..we can do this.

All of us. My daughter and I were learning to walk life together again. We had to start life in a very

different way.


Giving birth, singing bedtime songs, cooking the one thing she always loved, that's what we did. She slept

with me for years when I breastfed. I will never forget the little soft sighs right before she went to

sleep with those soft baby smells on my chest and her patting me on the face and saying "Mama". There are

also boo-boos that need to be kissed...a heart that needed to be fulfilled. Lessons that needed to be

taught. Over time that light faded with my health. However the love nor lessons did not. The mornings that

she would come into our bedroom and ask if she could snuggle on the weekends with her wild hair and sleepy

smile. Life doesn't get much better. Seven year olds hog pillows and blankets, but they are great snuggle

buddies. :)

There is really never a day that passes that I am not her biggest fan. Those pictures that are drawn in the

mixed watercolors on paper? Well she is front and center on the fridge. She runs from the backyard all red

curls and freckles to show me the latest and greatest creation. Even when I am sick she will softly nudge

me and say " Hey Momma, look what I did". And even when I am sick I kiss her and we have a grand ceremony

for that little redheaded girl in our art gallery. We thought about charging for tickets but we still

haven't found her an agent. Have a good day DU. Was just thinking about my little one today.

Thank you!