The story of Berdien Bies from Heerenveen published as a book

The fact that people with disabilities are absolutely not sexless beings is shown in the newly published book ‘Help… Ik lééf!’ van Berdien Bies from Heerenveen who himself has a progressive muscle disease. She invites the reader to see the world through the eyes of Karin, who will not let her serious muscle disease stop her from living her life the way she wants: from social interactions to sexual desires. A well-written, honest and candid story that made the Boekscout publishing house rightly decide to publish it.

‘Desires and fantasies of a young lady in a wheelchair’, is the subtitle. And with that nothing wrong is said! The main character Karin lives with a serious muscle disease and shows how she looks at life from the eyes of someone with a serious disability. Nothing can stop her. She sees her life as a challenge and takes you into her world in which she manages to get through the days with humor. Desires for physical and mental satisfaction. She has in her mind the perfect man, someone who takes charge, grabs hold of the strings and constantly makes her feel alive, sometimes even through literal pain. Being social within this society that she often longs for and her limitation that sometimes makes this impossible. Yet she always manages to get back on top because even severe setbacks do not prevent her from simply, as she calls it, to remain firmly on her own feet. Her body may not be working optimally, but her mind sometimes works overtime. She faces her desires for pure love with many fears, but she eventually manages to embrace this pure love with many setbacks. The reader is masterfully taken along in the experience of the dependence and independence, and the erotic possibilities within her seriously congenital progressive muscle disease.

Thinking in possibilities

Berdien Bies (1986) has a seriously progressive muscle disease and receives continuous help in her Heerenveen apartment. ‘I’m in a wheelchair all day and need help with almost everything. Eating, washing, dressing, going to the bathroom… you name it.’ This doesn’t stop her from getting the most out of life though! ‘My head is full of ideas and I’m very creative. I used to paint a lot, but unfortunately this is no longer possible due to my muscle disease.’ Yet she continues to think in possibilities. In this way she can express her creativity in writing on the computer. Eight years ago she started writing ‘her story’ and for years she has had on her bucket list that she wants to publish a book. With ‘Help… I’m alive’ this has become reality. The author is enthusiastic: ‘I think it is fantastic that this publisher has dared to present my story, this subject in book form and include it in its fund. That says something…’

The edition has 228 pages and is available for € 21.50 at bookstores and can be ordered via Bol.com

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