Disable Inequality
It’s been rather quiet down here. The past four to five months, I’ve been involved in disability rights campaigns and had a long much-needed Christmas and New Year’s break. I’m now back to passive campaigning in some form or another while having the flu… it’s never boring in MS-land. With the Irish election campaign in full swing, it’s difficult combining high-powered fatigue issues and other MS symptoms with the amount of advocating I want to do. The first and second are, as most of you know, difficult to tackle, the latter not acted upon enough. I’m still dedicated to writing for my blog, though, and also for the Novartis and Irish MS Society blogs. There is one thing I would like to highlight. In my belief, disability rights are something…
But you don’t look sick!
We have all been there, at the receiving end of ignorance and unwillingness to understand what life with an invisible illness is like. 2018 Winner Best Blog Post with ‘3443 Needles’, Blog Awards Ireland, Ashville Media Group, Dublin, Ireland ◾ MyTherapyApp: Multiple Sclerosis Blogs: 10 of the Best in 2019 ◾ Ireland Blog Awards: Finalist 2014, 2015, 2017 ◾ MyTherapyApp: Best MS Blog for Simplicity 2018 ◾ Everyday Health: Top 10 MS Blog of 2018 ◾ Feedspot: Top 50 MS Blog 2017, 2018, 2019 © Willeke Van Eeckhoutte and Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis & Me, 2011-2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Willeke Van Eeckhoutte and irelandms.com with…
While I was sleeping…
“If asked if I want to feel and be the ‘me’ before my diagnosis, I would reply this, “Of course I wish to be that person again, only, I simply cannot remember what ‘normal’ feels like.” Fatigue significantly interfered with daily life very early on in my road to diagnosis and was one of the reasons why, eventually, I was forced to retire four and a half years later."
MS News: January 2016
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Let’s be frank
"Too many times we like to blame others for our own problems. Situations and people create our experiences, but these situations and people don't create you. Understanding our past helps us to distinguish why we hold on and repeat self-destructive behaviours. When we feel anger, resentment and other non-positive emotions, the only one we annoy is ourselves. So, choose taking ownership over blaming others, happiness over negativity, a new way of life over just remaining in a rut."
Responsibility hurts
Reposting on request, January 11th, 2016 – link to original post can be found in the post “Taking responsibility has a domino effect once you accept its challenge. Self-actualisation is needed, and to be able to see its benefits and to survive, you need drive to improve yourself and as a result, have a positive effect on those around us. Once you see yourself progress, loving yourself becomes easier, which in turn makes it easier for others to respect and accept you. The vicious circle is complete when following this, you take on more responsibility, widening the circle of your influence on the world around you.”
Responsibility hurts
“When physical restraints curb your potential, you realise that you want so more from your own life, and out of your own reality. Life is moving forward outside your medically induced world, and you feel annoyed when healthy people don’t realise the worth of their bodies, their unused potential. It reminds you that being chronically ill sucks. It’s energy depleted in all the wrong places. There is no uptake to being ill. There is no room for manoeuvring when you’re faced with an illness that will -quite literally- be there until you draw your last breath."
