And in a flash, ten years have passed

There is no way I can make up in one post the happenings of ten years. Life became busier and more complicated and crazy around 2012. My husband was showing signs of Parkinson's but was in complete denial. His father had died with Parkinson's, and he was adamant that he did not and would never have it. It was his mother who convinced me to take him to a neurologist to be evaluated for it. She had, after all, taken care of her husband through his battle with it and was well aware of the manifestations of the disease. A visit to the neurologist confirmed what my husband did not want to know. He started on medications, but stopped taking them within a few months because he insisted they weren't helping. Explaining to him that he wouldn't get better but the medications would slow the progression fell on deaf ears. In his opinion, neither the doctor nor I knew what we were talking about. I was working full time at University Hospital in Salt Lake City so I was away from home 14-15 hours a day, three to four days a week. Our agreement when we got married was that since I was the breadwinner, he would take care of the housework as well as the outside stuff. At the time we had a horse and mule and two dogs. We also had an acre of horse property. So, lots to do. Once he started working 10-14 hours a week selling funeral plans, he stopped doing the housework and left it for me. However, on the days I didn't work, I was expected to do things with him all day. He would tell me I could do the housework later. Ha! By 2014, his mother was really slowing down and couldn't drive anymore. After all, she was 93, so that's to be expected. She had macular degeneration and was legally blind. She was also very hard of hearing. I was helping her 2-3 times a week, and taking care of my husbands needs as well. She and I grew quite close over the next two years. When I took her groceries or went to help her with her medications or anything else she needed, we would end up talking for hours. I really grew to love her. She was a true lady. In January of 2016 I insisted on taking her to the ER after she told me she was having dizziness and had fallen a couple of times. I told her she was probably dehydrated and would need some IV fluids. It was while there that she told the doctor about severe abdominal pain. After a CT scan, we were told that she had what was most likely cancer....Pancreatic and/or Lymphoma. Six and a half months later, she passed away peacefully at home. She was ready! I've missed that wonderful woman so much. I could have used her advice and encouragement over the next 4 years as I navigated being a caregiver to her son, who was in full blown Parkinson's. In 2019, Brent and I were in a bad car accident. My Honda Pilot was totalled. Brent had a broken neck and elbow. I had a broken ankle and every inch of my body hurt. But what reared its ugly head following the accident was Dementia. The accident threw Brent full steam into that awful world. That day began a downhill spiral that took its toll on both Brent and I. I retired from nursing in January 2020 to stay home and take care of my husband. We also, shortly thereafter started the process of building a new home, all on one level, because Brent was having a hard time climbing stairs and had started to have a lot of falls. On December 30, 2020, we moved into our new home. The entire process of getting a new home was amazing. Putting it in God's hands and just doing it was a huge blessing. God planted us in the most amazing corner of His garden. I will be forever grateful for these wonderful people who surround me here, because without them, I don't think I would have survived the next 10 months.