CRACKING REAL LIFE
Sarah Meekcom, 38, from Kidderminster, knew her hubby had a bucket list, but didn’t think he’d cross a crazy wish off so soon…
Getting under the duvet, I quickly started reading before a question lingered in the air.
‘Should I make a bucket list?’ my hubby Darrell, now 57, asked in October 2021.
‘I think it could be a good idea,’ I said, knowing all the wild things that Darrell was going to suggest.
‘We could see Ed Sheeran, I could race a Jag around Silverstone, we could book a cruise, tour the UK in a motorhome, take the girls to Disneyland…’ Darrell listed.
And I knew the last one was something that our girls Phoebe, 12, and Molly, 10, would love the most.
‘And you know those speed camera vans that park up around town?’ Darrell asked. ‘I’m going pull a moonie at one.’
‘Sure you are!’ I laughed, knowing Darrell’s tongue and cheek personality – there was no way that he would actually do something like that, it was just a way of adding something bonkers to the list.
Only Darrell’s humour at that time really helped us as a family to deal with the problem that we faced.
Suffering from a severe head injury after a fishing accident back in 2015, where Darrell had torn his pituitary gland, resulting in being diagnosed with secondary empty sella syndrome, ESS, he wasn’t ever really himself after that.
Tired, upset and experiencing a tremor that started with a twitch on his index finger, a year later his energy levels were affected – as a family we had really spotted a decline in his personality.
Walking and going on bike rides together were an option, but it was clear that the action-packed day would be a struggle.
It didn’t make it any easier for us all
Only, despite us all noticing a difference as a family, the medics couldn’t explain what was happening and at times it felt like nobody was listening.
‘It looks like an essential tremor – there’s nothing wrong,’ the GP said.
‘Maybe losing weight could help,’ another suggested.
However, after deciding to go private, that’s when on 3 September 2020, at The Spire Little Aston Hospital, Birmingham, Darrell finally had some answers.
‘I’m really sorry to have to tell you this, you have Parkinson’s Darrell,’ the doctor revealed.
‘I can’t be sure of the type yet, but I’ll write to your GP and get you some further tests on the NHS.’ Oh blimey, I thought.
Surprised and emotionally overwhelmed, there was no way to describe it.
‘It makes sense,’ Darrell admitted, piecing all of his symptoms together – but it didn’t make it any easier for us.
Not wanting to tell the girls, we had to know what we were dea
