Bridge Helped Me Rebuild My Life After a Stroke

By Alice Cowieson

When I retired after 25 years teaching drama to primary school children across north east Fife, I knew I needed something to keep my mind active.

I've always loved card games, so when I saw bridge lessons being advertised through a local over-50s group, I thought I'd give it a try. I had no idea then how much the game would come to mean to me.

At the classes, I met three like-minded women and we quickly decided that one lesson a week wasn't enough. Before long, we were meeting in each other's homes for practice sessions fuelled by tea, cake and plenty of laughter. What began as a new hobby soon became a wonderful source of friendship.

As my confidence grew, my teacher encouraged me to continue learning. I was the only one from our original group who took the plunge, attending summer sessions at Dundee Bridge Club. Walking through the doors on my own was a little daunting, but I was immediately welcomed. Before long, I was playing alongside some of Scotland's top bridge players and discovering just how fascinating and challenging the game could be.

What started as a way of keeping my brain sharp soon became a passion.

Over the years, bridge opened up a whole new world. I joined competitions, travelled to congresses around Scotland, became editor of Dundee Bridge Club's magazine The Grand Slam, and was later honoured to serve as club president. Along the way, I made countless friends and found a hobby that continually challenged and rewarded me.

Like many people, I kept playing during the Covid pandemic by moving online. It was a lifeline during lockdown and allowed me to play with people from around the world. But despite all the benefits of online bridge, it wasn't quite the same. What I missed most was seeing people face-to-face.

That sense of community became even more important last year when I fell seriously ill.

After being diagnosed with vasculitis, I suffered a stroke and respiratory arrest, spending several weeks in hospital before facing a long recovery. I experienced fatigue, sight problems and difficulties with concentration. Suddenly, everyday things I had previously taken for granted felt like major challenges.

Throughout it all, the bridge community was there for me.

Friends from the club visited me in hospital, sent cards and messages, and later visited me at home. My daughter remarked that she had never known anyone to receive so many visitors. Some even came in groups of three so we could sit and play a few hands of bridge together.

Those small games meant more than they will ever know.

At first, I could only manage a few hands before my concentration disappeared. But gradually, little by little, I started to improve. I also played short online bridge challenges as a way of rebuilding my focus and confidence.

Bridge gave me something positive to work towards.

Getting back to the bridge table after three months away felt like a huge milestone. More than anything, it felt like proof that I was still me. The game I had taken up eighteen years earlier to keep my mind active had become an important part of my recovery.

Today, I'm delighted to say that I am back playing regularly, seeing friends, competing, learning and enjoying all the challenges bridge continues to offer. I can drive, walk, talk, spend time in my garden and, most importantly, sit down at a bridge table surrounded by friends.

Looking back, bridge has given me so much more than a card game. It has brought friendship, purpose, mental stimulation and support through some of the most difficult periods of my life.

Eighteen years after attending that first lesson, I'm still learning something new. Even the grandmasters will tell you that happens occasionally.

If you've ever thought about giving bridge a go, my advice is simple: do it.