My uncle Paul Royère was a very active person who had many passions: Sailing, skydiving and hot air ballooning, just to mention a few. The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease affected him all the more, as the tremors and stiffness in his body started to exacerbate his life. Despite his situation, Paul kept his active spirit alive and tried to remain as independent as possible in his everyday life. Moreover, he stayed in contact with friends and neighbours to maintain a stable social network. When the symptoms got worse, he eventually had to move to a care home where, together with my mother, I tried to support him as much as possible. It was truly difficult for him to accept this situation as he had always been independent and self-determined character. It was quite challenging to keep him motivated as one could tell that he retracted himself more and more. Only during our visits, he showed an increase in his efforts.
After being in a coma for several weeks, my uncle eventually passed away in autumn 2019. I can only tell everyone affected by the disease never to give up yourself and to enjoy every minute you have together with your loved ones. Although it was emotionally challenging, I was happy that I could support Paul in his fight against Parkinson’s during this whole time. I hope he has a better life where he is now.
Lori