Page created by: Christine Malandra

Growing up I remember my mom as the mom who if you put your glass down for one second it was she already cleaned it up. She was Always moving, full of energy. She loved life and people. She was a mom first, until she became a grandmother. Then her grandchildren were everything. My mother just wanted everything to be happy. I had my son at 19. My mother went above any grandmother duties. All because of my mother I was able to earn a masters degree and become the woman and mother I am today. About 6 years ago I noticed my mother began to have a slight tremor in her left hand. She would dismiss it being the strong person she was she just tried to ignore it. The tremors worsened until she had a car accident and ended up in the hospital. She was referred to a neurologist and finally diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Her symptoms progressed over the next five years quickly and I stood by watching this evil disease slowly strip my mother of who she was. I will never forget the moment when we were told she had “end stage Parkinson’s” and was recommended hospice care. One week later my mother lost her painful battle to Parkinson’s. Still so beautiful she is now at peace. I share her story so others know how debilitating and horrible this disease is. I pray for my mother that she is at peace now, I pray for others still fighting their fight and I pray that one day there will be a cure. ❤️