I am a caretaker now. I did not envision myself in this role even when we learned that my husband Peter had Parkinson’s Disease a dozen years ago. I am grateful that I am able to do it.

I usually don’t mind that I have to do things that Peter used to do. Fortunately, we don’t have a yard to care for anymore and we don’t have to worry that a snowstorm will cancel school or make us late for work. But I do most of the planning and the cooking, and all of the grocery shopping for us. I take Peter to doctors’ appointments and drive him to his classes when he can’t walk to them.       .

But every once in a while, I feel taken for granted. So the other night, I suggested that it would be nice to feel appreciated. I forget what I had just done for him, but I didn’t get thanked. So I thanked myself out loud in his presence.

Peter looked up at me and said, “If I thanked you for everything you did for me, I wouldn’t have time to do anything else.”