Home sweet home

What a pleasure it is to finally be in our house - I feel so at home and comfortable that I could happily never venture outdoors again!  But don't worry, I'm not going to become like the great Hemingway and turn into a recluse! Although I wish I had his incredible talent for writing; becoming one of America's classics, still highly regarded today. I might be tempted to stay home a while enjoying the house we have planned, talked about and dreamed of for so long, but I'm sure to venture out once things get straight. Trying to think of every eventuality, building a disabled friendly house, and with old age in mind, we sought advice from wheelchair bound people, who have built their own houses, to social workers, doctors, physiotherapists, sales people in shops selling bathroom fittings specifically for the handicapped, and of course there is a fortune of information on the Internet. Our builder very soon understood my requirements, and together with his in-house architect we worked closely together creating a suitable living environment. All doorways are 90 cm and corridors are one meter wide to allow wheelchair access. My side of the bed is closest to the entrance of the bedroom and right next to the en-suite bathroom, with plenty of room to manoeuvre. All light switches in the house have been lowered, and hand rails installed next to the toilet and shower. The non-slip flooring in the bathroom is amazing. I thought it would feel rather rough (like sandpaper) underfoot, but it is quite comfortable to walk upon and certainly much safer than regular floor tiles. I've also been told that it is fairly easy to keep clean. The kitchen has easy pulling out drawers that accommodate most of the things I use on a daily basis, and the cupboards that are higher up and out of my reach, are for wine glasses and all those things that I would prefer not to touch and risk breaking! Storage is always an important issue for anyone, and thankfully we appear to have plenty. The garden has yet to be done, and at the moment is a muddy bare area, but it will have raised flower beds so that I can reach with ease, which will be filled with hardy plants requiring little maintenance. I can't tell you how this move has lifted our spirits and boosted our morale. It has literally given me a new lease on life. One's emotional state is very much connected to Parkinson's - any anxiety or stress greatly exacerbate the disease at a scary and alarming speed, and equally any good news or changes for the better have a great positive effect almost pushing this rotten disease to the side lines for a while. I think 2013 is going to be a very good year!