I have had a busy weekend so far. So busy, I can’t really remember what I did yesterday!
Today I went and played bowls for about the fourth time and I had a really good time. As happened last weekend, I had some very good bowls and a couple of really terrible ones. At least the very terrible ones were in the minority. While we were playing, myself and the other half of the pair we played against Sue – yep another one – we had some lovely chats and advice about bowls. I’ve definitely found that everyone I have met at the club has been lovely and friendly.
I came home to my husband and I was feeling very happy that I had had a lovely day out with a very welcoming group of people.
Tonight, sitting on the couch I turned to my husband and said, “Y’know, apart from Parkies we have a pretty wonderful life together” and he agreed. We are definitely finding we have a sense of community here that we never had in Parklands. Neighbours we count as friends and now I am getting integrated into the Bowling Club, I feel we are building a social network that we will get so much from.
As we were playing bowls today, Sue told me that one of the guys we were playing with had had a terrible time recently with his health. He had been unable to come for a roll-up for a while, while he tried to rid himself of the Cancer that had invaded his body. He is on the mend and I noticed a number of people welcoming him back and telling him he had been missed. It was lovely to see how warmly they treated him on his return.
I had told people at the Club that I am in the early stages of Parkinson’s. Today I was saying that I felt this was exactly the time I should start playing. If I start to learn how I can play now in the early stages, as I progress I am sure I will be able to adjust my play to compensate for any physical changes. If I had waited even a season or two, I think it would have been harder to make the adjustments that may be needed. I am confident too that the members of the Club will help and support me. I came home at the end of the day happy that I had had such a nice afternoon and met some lovely people.
In our previous home, we pretty much kept ourselves to ourselves and that was OK at the time. However, as things progress with my condition, both of us will need support and perhaps by getting to expand our social circle through bowls and whatever else we involve ourselves in, we will have people that we can get support from if we need it.
The season ends next weekend and I have been invited to play on the day and to stay for a barbecue as the season closes. I feel happy that I have been accepted and welcomed into the Club and look forward to playing some more, especially once my flash purple Aero bowls arrive with their Viking Ship logo in the centre. It will be hard to wait for September to get out there and try them, but I will have to learn to be patient.
Moving to Kaiapoi has been the best decision we have made. As we age and as my condition becomes more noticeable, we will have made social connections that will support us and we will feel part of a supportive community.
My journey with Parkinsons 