In the 60s, Lawrie played a lot of sports, most prominently, football. Whilst starting his apprenticeship as a boilermaker and welder, he sought social interactions and friendships through playing in the seconds for Footscray, and other clubs in the western suburbs of Victoria, like Sunshine YCW and Albion FC. Sports became a major passion for Lawrie, until numerous concussions and an industrial work accident caused him to stop playing, which he described as “heartbreaking”. Though this particular life stage was a struggle for Lawrie, he feels fortunate to witness his legacy of playing sports continue through his son and grandchildren.
Another special interest of Lawrie’s is English rock music from the 60s, most notably, The Beatles.
“Like a lot of people from around the 60s era, both Sam and I have seen many singers and bands live over very many years,” said Lawrie, “And every single day, I have music on either through my iPod or radio. I also play my records on my turntable every now and then, generally just to listen, but most of the time, I sing along.”
Since 1964, Lawrie has been collecting The Beatles memorabilia, of which consumes many cabinets in his home, including every single EP and LP that The Beatles ever made.
Though Lawrie’s outlook is often positive, he exhibits many symptoms of MSA that affect his everyday life, including:
- Bladder difficulties, including not emptying the bladder fully and frequent urination at night, disrupting sleep
- Difficulty in turning or moving in bed
- Fatigue during the afternoon and constant yawning
- Itchiness in the same spot on his head
- Light-headedness and sometimes fainting
- Low blood pressure which can lead to dizziness and may be related to his sometimes-experiencing blurry vision
- Neck pain and stiffness, causing an inability to turn his head left or right
- Overheating and sweating whilst in bed, but struggling to warm up during winter, especially in his hands and feet
- Unintentional sighing
- Vivid dreams
Lawrie’s memorabilia collection
Lawrie also experiences pain in his lower back and his right knee, although he is unsure if this is related to his MSA.
But reaching out to Fight Parkinson’s for support is what helped Lawrie, plus his wife and carer, Sam, to find the services and support systems that were right for them and their existing interests.
To fulfill the social aspect of what sports previously provided him, Lawrie now attends a Parkinson’s Support Group in the Knox area. This time is great for both him, as well as Sam, because there are also meetings for carers in other rooms. There are usually speakers covering certain topics, followed by tea or coffee and a chat.
Lawrie also receives multidisciplinary care at a specialist movement disorder service, which was a suggested link through Fight Parkinson’s. This is where Lawrie participates in Speech Therapy, which he stated helps to strengthen his vocal cords and keep his voice at a certain pitch. It’s also something he really enjoys, given how much he loves to sing at home.
But it’s the Fight Parkinson’s Atypical Parkinson’s (including MSA, PSP, and CBS) Community Seminar that Lawrie says was “extremely rewarding”. Hearing from all the experts in their professions, Lawrie mentioned that he learned things like, what to expect living with MSA, what can help to combat symptoms, and what to do if he experiences new symptoms or difficulties.
When asked if he had any advice for someone who has recently been diagnosed with MSA, Lawrie replied with the following:
“Whatever makes you feel comfortable in combating life now, is fine. If you need support, it’s always there. If you’re up for exercise, it’s always up to you on the day. I just carry on with life as though it’s normal and take each day as it comes. We all have good and bad days, but we deal with them the best way we can, one day at a time. There’s always someone out there that’s a lot worse off than ourselves,” said Lawrie, “We are just reinventing ourselves to cope. Don’t try and think too much about it, but just take each day as it comes, cross each bridge as it comes to you. And there’s a lot of lovely people, a lot of help out there, like Fight Parkinson’s that is always willing to help.”
We would like to extend our gratitude to Lawrie and his family for sharing their story with the Fight Parkinson’s community, allowing for connection and understanding to grow for others who may be experiencing similar journey’s.
If you would like to share your own story, please visit Share Your Parkinson’s Story to Inspire Others | Fight Parkinson’s
