A few years ago, before Anthony became so incapacitated with Parkinson’s disease, we used to go to a restaurant on the beachfront after every doctor’s appointment.
We went to this restaurant after his diabetes diagnosis and we ate apple pie with cream and icecream defiantly.
We went to this restaurant after his liver disease diagnosis and drank a bottle of wine defiantly.
We went to this restaurant after his prostate cancer diagnosis and ordered the banquet deal defiantly.
We went to this restaurant after his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and decided to try the millionaire’s coffee.
Today I decided to take Ants to this restaurant (which now has new owners). It’s only a few blocks from the nursing lodge, so very convenient, but I was still really nervous because of the unpredictability of PD.
I became even more nervous when Ants had difficulty walking, with his walker thingy, to the car and getting in. But, once his uncooperative feet were in, and his seatbelt was on, I started to feel more optimistic.
And it was a success! Ants was able to use the walker to get into the restaurant and we had an ocean view, a half bottle of wine, some fantastic prawns and scallops, and some bits of conversation. His PDD kept making the conversation weird but every time he said something crazy, I just laughed and squeezed his hand and he squeezed back.
After we’d finished eating, I decided to order his favourite coffee, but the new owners of the restaurant had never heard of a millionaire’s coffee so I had to tell them how! The only trouble is that I couldn’t remember which three liqueurs went into it so I just asked them to use their imaginations.
They did a good job! Well I think they did – my head is still spinning – haha.
jmgoyder 