Trish Gordon, 61, was medically retired and told she had just five to 10 years to live after being diagnosed with a brain tumour more than a decade ago.
asserted
she → retire → tumour
She was initially given the all clear but, a few months later, she had a seizure while driving her car and was diagnosed with a grade 2 oligodendroglioma.
asserted
she → give → oligodendroglioma
Surgeons removed a 10cm tumour in 2014, but the operation left the single mother struggling with concentration, communication and everyday tasks.
asserted
operation → remove → concentration
Ms Gordon attempted to return to work but realised the challenges she faced were too great and was medically retired in September 2015.
asserted
she → attempt → September
“My whole life was turned upside down.
asserted
life → turn → ?
I knew there were risks with the surgery, but nothing really prepares you for how much your life can change,” she said.
asserted
she → know → you
“Overnight, things I’d done without thinking suddenly became difficult.
asserted
I → do → ?
I wasn’t able to drive for a year.
asserted
I → drive → year
“Simple tasks such as walking my son to school were too much.
asserted
tasks → walk → school
I would come back and stare at the wall.
asserted
I → come → wall
Any background noise or stimulation felt too much.”
asserted
noise → feel → ?
Ms Gordon said finding words was a big issue for her and she found it hard to communicate with patients.
asserted
it → say → patients
Read More
“My cognitive function had totally changed.
asserted
function → read → More
It was no longer possible to work at that time,” she said.
asserted
she → work → time
“I was grieving the life I previously had.
asserted
I → grieve → life
There were some really dark days but, as a single parent, my main priority was to keep fighting for my nine-year-old.”
asserted
priority → be → old
Ms Gordon said she wanted to keep her mind active and regain cognitive function, so she signed up for bridge lessons at the New Melville Bridge club in Edinburgh through the Scottish Bridge Union.
asserted
she → say → Union
“I quickly became hooked,” she said.
asserted
she → become → ?
“It took memory, teamwork and a little bit of maths.
asserted
It → take → maths
Each week I felt a little bit sharper and a little bit more like myself again.”
asserted
I → feel → myself
Although she faced further setbacks when her tumour returned in 2022, and underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment in 2024, Ms Gordon said she feels back to full health.
asserted
she → face → health
“Every day is a blessing and I still get so much from playing bridge,” Ms Gordon said.
asserted
Gordon → get → bridge
“It is a huge part of my social life and I try to get along to the club as often as I can.
asserted
I → try → club
I enjoy learning new things – that’s one of the things I love most about bridge.”
asserted
I → enjoy → bridge
She continued: “Bridge gave me a challenge when I needed one most.
asserted
I → continue → one
It played a significant role in helping me get back to work and back to being myself.”
asserted
me → play → work
Ms Gordon’s experience is backed up by recent research that found experienced bridge players showed advantages in memory-based tasks and delays age-related cognitive decline.
asserted
players → back → decline
“When I was diagnosed, my biggest concern wasn’t for me – it was for my son.
asserted
it → diagnose → son
I wanted to be there to watch him grow up.
asserted
him → want → ?
At the time I didn’t know what the future would look like,” she added.
asserted
she → know → what
“More than 10 years later, I’ve outlived the original prognosis I was given, returned to the career I love and had the privilege of watching my son Brodie develop into an elite swimmer with his sights set on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.”
asserted
sights → outlive → Angeles
The Aporia
