“Nothing Could Prepare Me for Watching My Wife Slip Away” (NYT)

This is a sweet guest essay in today’s NY Times by Tom Coughlin, a two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach. He writes about caregiving for his wife Judy, with a diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The essay is about the difficulties of being a caregiver (not about PSP).

Excerpt:

After several years of doctors trying to pinpoint the disease that has been slowly taking her from us, Judy was diagnosed with [PSP] in 2020. It is a brain disorder that erodes an individual’s ability to walk, speak, think and control body movements. It steals memories and the ability to express emotions and, sadly, is incurable. … Admittedly, transitioning from being with an N.F.L. franchise to full-time caregiver wasn’t easy. It’s still not easy. The playbook is either changing by the minute or so numbingly repetitious, you lose track of time and self. … [To] all those who are caring for a loved one, take a break when you need it and don’t be too hard on yourselves. It’s not easy. And for all those wondering how they can help, it’s simple: Don’t forget about the caregivers.

Read the full article here

Opinion: Guest Essay
Nothing Could Prepare Me for Watching My Wife Slip Away
Aug. 24, 2021
By Tom Coughlin
New York Times

And read a commentary by the opinion editor of the NY Times here

Opinion
He Won Super Bowls. Now He’s a Full-Time Caregiver.
Aug. 24, 2021
By Kathleen Kingsbury, Opinion Editor
New York Times