Dublin Speaks No Language
Dublin speaks no language I cannot hear with my heart. Sings no song I cannot Feel by the touch on my lips. Hold no love, I cannot Embrace with my thoughts. Dublin listens quietly, Unconditionally. ©Willeke Van Eeckhoutte ©Willeke Van Eeckhoutte and Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis & Me, 2011-2013. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’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 Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis & Me with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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.
My brother
A small, black leather wallet. Used, worn, and carrying the scent of the jeans my brother used to wear. A plectrum faded from the many songs he played on his bass guitar. Memories. Too many to fill my mind at once. Love. Too deep to ever forget he was my brother, my only sibling.
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”