The Spoon Theory
Today I was reminded of a story I heard of a few years ago about a girl who lives with lupus and who tries to explain to a friend what life with a chronic illness, especially fatigue, is like. It is told in a very powerful and imaginative way that will hopefully shed a better light on how fatigue affects people living with MS, lupus and other illnesses that take a toll on daily life. In my view, it is the best piece of writing about fatigue I have ever read. As you know, one of my main disabilities is severe fatigue which is sometimes so energy-sapping that walking from my bed to the fridge asks for a rest in between. From the moment this level of tiredness became troublesome,…
Raining roses
Back after a much-needed break from writing. There were doctors’ visits and hospital waiting rooms, a very slow stroll through Dublin Zoo as well as lots of sleep and trying to lose weight before the Christmas holidays arrive. Friends came and went, and books were tossed aside after reading half a page. On a more exciting note, I ended up on writing.ie, the home of Irish writing online. I finally convinced myself to stop and take stock with the words “Being this overly, mentally busy doesn’t work for me anymore,” because deep down I knew I had arrived in Klutz Central. KC truly is the final destination and home of being unable to gather and store new information while having the energy levels of a sloth on Valium.
The right to die (updated)
"In the end, the truly sad thing is courts denying people the right to live their own life and deal with death when someone is so obviously tormented. Sanctity of life is a personal matter, what you or I see in this is not up to a court to decide. Not now, not ever."
30 Things about My Invisible Illness You May Not Know
I was sent this list after National Invisible Illness Week ended and asked if I wanted to write about it either way, so here are my answers: 1. The illness I live with is: Multiple sclerosis, the house guest that ends up on your doorstep, invites himself in and never leaves again. 2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: I was diagnosed in 2005, three months before my 32nd birthday
MS News: October 2013
Childhood Stress Not a Likely Trigger for MS Stressful life events in childhood did not appear to increase the subsequent risk for multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers said. In large Danish cohort study, children who experienced stressful life events had a weak 1.11-fold risk (95% CI 1.02-1.20) of later developing MS compared with unexposed children, according to Nete Munk Nielsen, MD, PhD, from Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, and colleagues.
11 years!
There aren’t many things in my life that have outnumbered my years in Ireland as I celebrate my 11th anniversary of living in Ireland today. Once again I had to pinch my arm, making sure that I woke up in Clonsilla, Ireland instead of Belgium. Eleven years indeed. Dreams do come true if you want it badly, if you work at it and if you don’t lose focus. Eleven years. Eleven. Eleven. Yes, Billie, eleven! Love for family and friends obviously outnumbered all the years living in Ireland. Likewise for pets come and gone, as well as my addiction to books, libraries, history and all things Irish.
20 things you didn’t (necessarily) know yet
While browsing through the weekend newspapers yesterday, I came across a nice list of questions. I like lists. And I like questions. A female attribute? No doubt. Just for the fun of it, here we go! The book that changed my life: Ulysses by James Joyce, no doubt about it! The quote that keeps me sane: I’m a huge quote lover, so it’s hard deciding but I will use Friedrich Nietzsche once more: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger”