Wheelchair Rugby

July 2010 Update

Hi everyone,

Just thought I'd give you an update on how things have been going

just ahead of surgery. A short time after the last post I celebrated my 21st

for the 4th time. It was pretty sweet because this time I wasn't left out of the drinking. Also apparently some of my friends have morals and decided speaking ill of the dead has some similarity to speaking ill of a person on a ventilator in ICU. So this time there were a few more ruthless tales that surfaced.

Since then I've been to every home game on my season pass, and I've completed another 300 level psych paper. I got the mark I was looking for which has opened up the possibility of future study.

In May the olds and Robert flew to Dunaz for my graduation. I made the front page of the ODT (Otago Daily Times) and as a result found myself

involved in conversations with more strangers than I'm used to.

On Tuesday 10th August I'm going back to Burwood in order to receive surgery that will hopefully give me triceps function in both arms. I will be in for 10 weeks, heading back to Hamilton late October. So wish me luck and see you on the other side.

Tim

Funds raised from Golf Tournament

Hi Everyone,

We now have the news you've been waiting for - the total funds raised from the Golf Tournament on the 31st January was $9925.99. Just soooo fantastic. The money has been banked into Tims Trust account and will be used for sports activities such as wheelchair rugby, as ACC doesn't cover sport related costs.



Once again massive thanks to Mark and Lorena and their team at Anglesea Motel, Gary and Michelle Dillistone, and Julian and Michelle Barnsdale for making it all happen and succeeding in creating a very fun day for about 100 family, friends and supporters. Thanks too to all the sponsors and participants. The raffle was won by Ben, a keen 15 yr old golfer from Kerikeri.



Love to all

Viv and Tim

Tournament Moments

The Day After the Tournament

H Everyone,

Many happy thoughts of yesterday, albeit for the weather. My last blog had stated clearly gentle clouds and rain banned - but someone was not listening! Nevertheless an incredibly successful event for all. Tim was confined to the clubhouse due the rain, with a small group of special friends for company, and a jug or two to await the return of the masses. He caught sight of the players in nearby bunkers!

The hours and hours of preparation by Mark, Lorena, Gary and Michelle Dillistone and Julian and Michelle Barnsdale paid off big time. We called it a day half way through due the thunderclouds competing for attention with Parachute music in the next field. Then it cleared for a bit. The 'real golfers' were feeling abit shortchanged and would have happily continued. The other 50% were feeling like drowned rats and the word "one more hole to go" bought happy faces to many. By the time we'd all settled in the club house, with a complimentary drink and platter of food, Marks secret raindance (for more rain so no one would feel sad), had paid off and it was nothing short of torrential. No doubt in anyones mind the timing was right.

Our favourite auctioneer Andrew (Tims high school friend) relished in his temporary role persuading us to take advantage of great bargains. I will bring you the final results when we've had a tally up. Amazing prizes followed, some for golfing achievements, and most drawn out of a box for each team. A list of sponsors will follow. No one missed out and the prizes were incredible.

The raffle was last - we shook a container of balls and Tim read out three numbers 077. It was Ben Luke from Kerikeri who won the Golf Cart. He was at Parachute and his phone was flat, so he doesnt know yet! The Luke family are close friends of my sister Janet. Their sons are very keen golfers. So exciting.

I asked Lorena, Mark, Julian, Michelle, Gary and Michelle up the front at the end of the prize giving to say thankyou. However i lost the plot emotionally (whats new) and couldn't find any words. From Tim and all our family, heartfelt thanks for your scheming and plotting last year "what can we do for Tim" while he was in ICU and then rehab. And for actually making it happen. Many hours freely given, for enlisting support from local businesses, family and friends, for setting up and selling raffle tickets, transporting BBQ's onto the course, cooking BBQ's, organising registrations and teams, for collating the sponsors names and logos, and auction list, generally excellent management. And for every raffle buyer, volunteer to help onthe day, those who registered and turned up and played in such horrible conditions and every sponsor.

Finally special thanks to Anglesea Motel for the use of their resources and staff along the way.

Now as Tim would say THE END. Photos and sponsors names will follow.

Cheers Viv

2 days to go till Tims Tournament

Hi Everyone,
How exciting. Not long now till the big day. The registrations and prizes continue to come in . Such creative and generous ideas.
And everyone is posting raffle butts back to Anglesea Motel in time for the big draw on Sunday.
Thanks massively to you all for the hard work.
All we need is the sun shining - or maybe gentle clouds, but rain is banned.
See you all there at 1pm to tee off. And still alittle room left if you still want to play.
Love Viv, Tim and family, And the team at Anglesea - Mark, Lorena, and Nicole.

Intensity to Come

Hi Everyone,
Things back in Hamilton started pretty well and I settled into my new routine quickly. I've been seeing friends and family heaps, going home for meals and reestablishing my social lifestyle pronto. All my equipment such as bed, tilt table, arm bike and wheelchairs have slowly been filtering through the door. My teams of carers are getting sorted with some leaving and some being asked to leave. My motel unit is really nice, and the interior decorator (motel owner Mark), put up my massive Chiefs banner and an oil painting Sally painted and gave me for Xmas. I managed to get a sound system and TV sorted too. I found an adaptive X box controller on an American website, so have enjoyed some gaming.

Unfortunately an incident falling out of my wheelchair landed me on bedrest for a few weeks. If that wasnt frustrating enough, towards the end of the duration of my bedrest, my knee started swelling up, causing me to sweat with every turn. We didn't know the cause and neither did my GP, until about 5 days later when my thigh became swollen as well. So I called Mum (who was holidaying in Kerikeri with her sister Janet), called my GP and went to A & E, where Dad kept me company for the four hours I was there. The next afternoon during an ultrasound, they diagnosed what we all predicted - two clots (DVT deep vein thrombosis) behind my knee. So my left hip and thigh remain extremely swollen (9cms larger than right side).

New Years was surprisingly successful for bedrest. Having friends camp in the lounge before and after New Years, and getting up to party on the night. I've watched heaps of DVD's, and highly recommend Freedom Writers, Babel, and The Great Debaters.

In the next couple of weeks I'm looking forward to the Charity Golf Tournament on the 31st January, ACDC on the 4th Feb and on the 6th Feb, a party with some of my friends for my 21st last year. Being on a ventilator makes it hard to seriously party.

(Something to finish)
Tim