On our 30th wedding anniversary, we’re still going strong

As of yesterday, my husband, Arman, and I have been married for 30 years, or 10,957 days. Happy anniversary to us!

We celebrated with a rare dinner out, just the two of us. Our children surprised us by sending a delicious assortment of desserts to the restaurant, along with a candle to complete the celebration.

I did a bit of research and learned that the pearl is the traditional gemstone for a 30th wedding anniversary. This rare and expensive gem can take years to form, and the intricate process of its creation leads to a beautiful, iridescent appearance.

The pearl’s formation, rarity, and beauty are similar to marriage in many ways. As an anniversary gift, it symbolizes how love grows deeper and stronger as more layers are slowly added.

The creation of our “pearl” began when Arman and I met in high school. Being a teenager in the mid-1980s was simply the best, and we were lucky to grow up together. I fell in love quickly with his amazing laugh, his wild side, and his bright, white smile. It didn’t hurt that he was brilliant and handsome as well.

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We married in our mid-20s while Arman was completing medical school. We began building a home and life together, and soon had our first child, our beautiful daughter Alexa. The layers that we were adding to our pearl seemed to be building it to perfection.

Soon after Alexa was born, we decided it was essential to move away from our home in Ohio to gain independence as a family. We loved our years living in Boston as Arman completed his medical residency. We decided that it was time for Lex to become a big sister, and our sassy girl Amanda arrived. We tended to our growing family and continued to build upon the layers of our shiny pearl.

After having two kids and spending several years away from our family, we decided to move back home to Cleveland. Arman was excited to finish his medical training there.

The three years of his fellowship passed by in a flash, and the next thing we knew, our little prince, Jacob, was born. His sisters tended to him like little mommies, and our family was complete. I felt like we truly were building the perfect pearl. I often pinched myself as I wondered if our life were a dream.

The kids were growing, Arman was thriving in his career, and the years were passing quickly and happily. All was going better than we had planned for, until it wasn’t.

Life takes a turn

Arman began having strange symptoms, and we grew worried as they continued to progress. He noticed his foot cramping up after running for an extended period. He began experiencing intense slowness and stiffness, as well as fatigue.

It took a while to diagnose, but ultimately we learned that he has early-onset Parkinson’s disease. It felt like the world had come crashing down on our family, and our perfect pearl was shattered into rubble.

While I had no idea how to dig us out of that deep, dark place, I looked at our three kids and knew that I had to do it somehow, and quickly. I had to take the lead and find our happy place again.

This diagnosis, while not easy, was not life-threatening, so we had much to be grateful for. I wouldn’t allow this bump in the road to break down all that we had built in our lives. I dusted myself off, put a smile on my face and in my heart, and slowly put back together the pieces of that pearl.

It’s been over 15 years since Arman’s diagnosis. So where are we today?

Our kids are grown, and it feels unbelievable how fast it all went. Arman and I continue to look for the bright side of every situation, including his Parkinson’s challenges. We laugh a lot and enjoy spending our cozy, simple life together.

Here’s to another 30 years of love, nighttime walks, quality time with our kids, board games, an abundance of belly laughs — and adding more beautiful layers to the shiny pearl we call our life.

Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.