I worked with Mr. Baldridge on days when his wife, Barbara, attended support group meetings for people whose family members had Parkinson's Disease.
Mr. Baldridge's Parkinson's was advanced by then. He could barely walk, his muscle tone had decreased to the point that his bowel functions had slowed, he drooled a lot, and medications left him confused some of the time. With all this, many people who had once been vital would be angry or bitter, or at least resentful. I never heard Mr. Baldridgew say, "Why me?" or complain, or make even one negative remark about his disease. He handled his decline with grace.
It has been some years since he quietly passed away in hospice, but I remain inspired by the patience and grace with which he handled his illness. Should I ever be stricken with a long and debilitating illness, I pray I will be able to maintain the dignity and grace he did throughout. He was a sweet and special man.
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