Dealing with Parkinson's (From Stroud News and Journal)

Dealing with Parkinson's

One in five UK citizens - around 120,000 people - have Parkinson's Disease.

The debilitating neurological condition affects movements such as walking, talking, and writing.

As part of Parkinson's Awareness week, Will Searight met sufferer Rollo Alderwick, who developed the condition at just 41 years of age.

"WHY me?" was the question Rollo Alderwick wanted answered when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease 10 years ago.

Rollo, 51, from Cutler Road, Stroud, discovered he had the disease during a visit to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital for a twitch in his finger.

He thought it was a trapped nerve but the neurologist took one look and instantly recognised a symptom of Parkinson's.

"I was in shock," said Rollo, "total disbelief. I looked behind me to double check he was in fact talking to me".

Most people who contract Parkinson's are over the age of 70, so at 41 Rollo was really an exception.

The twitches and tremors begun to get worse and everything slowed down. Pains and aches developed all over his body and Rollo began to seize-up.

"I'm a member of the Parkinson's freefall team" joked Rollo, referring to his frequent stumblings.

"I couldn't deal with going into large crowds any more" he explained, "but everyday's different". The disease is very changeable, and Rollo has good days and bad. Recently he has had to deal with frequent spasms and involuntary movements.

"The hardest part is getting going in the morning," he said.

But the illness interferes with all aspects of life. Everything from picking up peanuts to doing up shirt buttons becomes more and more of a chore. Even swallowing can be a problem.

Rollo goes twice a week to Yercombe Lodge day care and respite centre in Stinchcombe. Here he gets involved in arts and crafts and has also taken-up photography.

The disease affects mainly the left side of Rollo's body so some activities, such as painting, are still possible.

He also still drives and even goes off-roading in Wales from time to time. "With a bit of concentration I can still control the illness up to a point," he said.

Still, Rollo can no longer properly indulge his love of motorsport. He has had to give-up his career as a lorry driver and has not worked since being diagnosed.

"At times it is obviously very frustrating," said Rollo, who admits that when he first received the news he brokedown.

The disease has also had a big impact on family life.

Rollo's wife, Madi, had to give-up her job as a care worker to look after her husband.

"It was either the job or him," she said.

The couple have three children - Emma, 26, Lian, 25, and James, 19, as well as two grandchildren, Harriet, nine months, and Nicholas, four months.

Madi and Rollo explained how news of the illness turned family life upside down.

"James wouldn't accept it at first," said Madi.

"He was angry. He still doesn't really now, but the two girls are very sympathetic. They realise that dad is who he is."

Even Sasha the dog had to be re-homed.

Though there are plenty of experimental drugs around, as yet there is no known cure for Parkinson's, which destroys the transmitting cells in the brain. Medication can only control and limit the illness.

It is important that Parkinson's sufferers get their medication on time. Rollo has had bad experiences in hospital when staff would not let him take his medication when he needed it.

"My body basically shut down," he said.

Rollo will take his case to the House of Commons later this month to campaign for the rights of people with Parkinson's and other illnesses to have their medication on time.