“Even though you’re sick, you don’t have to languish in a corner”
NORG – In the Zorgcafé in Norg there will be an information evening about MS on Monday 3 April. In this meeting, the different aspects that characterize Multiple Sclerosis will be discussed. What is MS, recognizing MS, causes, diagnosis, treatment and consequences will be discussed. Pauline Bats is affiliated with the MS department of the province of Groningen – North Drenthe and will provide this information. The Zorgcafé can be visited by every resident of Noordenveld. This evening is also aimed at volunteers, carers and professionals who want to know more about MS. Irene Louters from Norg has MS. She is doing a book about the disease that controls her life.
Very special is the presentation of the MS Experience Toolkit. This can be experienced with MS with you. The Toolkit has been put together so that for a moment you are a person with the symptoms of MS. ‘That can be quite confronting,’ says Irene Louters. ‘It’s very good to experience how an MS person feels on a daily basis.’
Irene Louters, who lives in Norg, has had MS since she was 34 years old. ‘It has been more than 15 years since this disease was discovered in me. I came back from a trip and noticed that I couldn’t read well with my left eye. Checkups followed at the GP, the ophthalmologist, I had to take blood tests and an MRI scan. Finally, a neurologist told me I had MS. Then you think ‘what’s going on here’. Fortunately, I was able to continue my work as a nurse at the GGZ until 2017. Then I was rejected because it was no longer possible. You can see that I don’t walk so easily anymore. I often suffer from heavy and tired legs and arms. Fortunately, I don’t always have real pain. I suffer from deaf fingers and loss of strength.’
MS is often assumed to be a muscle disease. Irene Louters indicates that this is not the case. It’s a disease of the central nervous system. That is, as it were, clamped down. Signals from the brain do not get through. MS does not go away. It can stabilize, but it won’t heal. But mind you, I don’t mean to sound pathetic. I’m definitely not. On the contrary. I’m optimistic by nature and don’t give up. We have been living in Norg with our family for more than 20 years now and we like it very much. I do volunteer work, help at the Evening4Daagse, regularly drink a cup of coffee with a lonely elderly lady and am chairman of the MS Assen – North Drenthe department. I have a scooter to go shopping with my dog DJ in the village. What I can do I do. I am still proud of my swimming performance in open water when I participated in the City Swim in Amsterdam in 2017. Even though you’re sick, you don’t have to languish in a corner. I would also like to share that thought with visitors to the Zorgcafé in Norg this evening.’
On Monday, April 3, the evening will be held at the location of Groenzorg at Eenerstraat 65 in Norg. Doors open at 7.15pm and start at 7.30pm. Information at WiN Servicebureau 050 3176500. There is no need to register in advance, a cup of coffee is ready and transport problems can be solved by using the SON bus. The Zorgcafé Norg is an initiative of Groenzorg Norg and Welzijn in Noordenveld.
